A World of Green
by Tabitha of MoonAurora
Summary: Second in series. This fanfiction is AU although it has many similarities to the canon series. Lisbon's past was sordid and disturbing but she found many ways to cope with it and became a successful woman. Now her past is returning and she must deal with more revelations about her family and her prior life. upper end of T
1. This Thing of Darkness

a/n- Well here is the first installment in my new story. It is actually the second installment in what I hope will be a trilogy delving into the life of Teresa Lisbon. I took so liberties, as I always do, but I think my slightly AU world is decent enough. And being a fanfiction writer is about taking liberties. This one is teen-rated but the first story is M and will be posted when I reach 18 (less than a year).

This story follows a time period that is AU after about halfway through season 2. Rigsby and Van Pelt have broken up but are still not ready to move on. Lisbon and Jane are of course still in their usual relationship and Cho is Cho. This period of time continues on until the beginning of Jane and Lisbon's relationship and the demise of Red John. (I know how this will end.)

Prior to this there is a fic that Follows Lisbon from her mother's death until the beginning of the TV series and the fic that follows this examines Lisbon and Jane as they develop a relationship and move on from both of their sordid pasts.

Do enjoy and please leave a comment or two on what you think.

Genre: Drama/ Crime/Mystery/Romance

Disclaimer: Obviously I do not own the Mentalist but I do own anything my mind created, Mrs. Carter, Maria, Kailey…

Teresa Lisbon kept her past separate from her work-life for two reasons: first, because Jane and Van Pelt would read too much into it and try to 'help' her in some way and Rigsby would look blankly at her in shock and second, because it was sordid. Not in a dirty sense of the word but in a truly disturbing, slums version of sordid. Her team knew of her mother's death and she'd done her best to keep the fact that she had raised her three younger brothers and protected them from her father's abuse out of their line of sight but occasionally a part of that seeped through the cracks too. But there was one part of her past that no one, save for her superiors knew: she was a mother.

One expected that many people became cops because their livelihood as children had not allowed them to progress into higher society. That was not what had happened in her case. She had kept up with school and gained academic scholarships to UCLA for the study of chemistry, another thing she had never told anyone, and had a bachelor of science. Originally she had wanted to go into criminal forensics but the field had caught her eye and she'd moved there and trained with the SFPD for five years before the CBI scooped her out of Sam Bosco's pocket. No Teresa Lisbon had not given up when she had become pregnant at fourteen, nor when fifteen, or sixteen, or seventeen. She had not given up when she had a miscarriage following a beating so brutal that she had though the blood from it alone should have killed her. And she did not give up knowing that the children she had given birth to were her sisters as well as her daughters. But now, today, she thought she just might have to give up, might have to break down and drink herself into a stupor because her daughters, her two beautiful girls were coming to live with her following a car accident that had killed their great aunt Christine.

Lisbon placed a finger on the button of the phone and let it up dropping the receiver onto the desk. The long tone of the disconnected phone line buzzed through her office. She took a deep breath and checked her watch. Child services would be there in half an hour, dropping them off at the HQ, rather than her home. The brunette agent licked her lips, pulling from a drawer of her desk a picture of her, bruised and broken, holding her younger daughter Kailey in her arms. The other girl was there to, with the same green eyes as her and the same dark hair that every Lisbon had. If there was one thing that was known it was that there was a strong resemblance between the members of the Lisbon family. She tucked her bottom lip into her top and then pulled out a few more pictures. One of Davy, Evann, and Shane stood out to her. She smiled and set it nostalgically on her desk.

A knock sounded on her door and her head snapped up quickly dropping the pictures back into the drawer. Van Pelt stood in the doorway, very obviously fighting the temptation to know exactly what had just happened.

"Boss, what do you want me to do with," her voice lowered a bit, "The 'events' from the Marino case?" She asked, red hair swimming about her neck.

Lisbon took a moment to steady herself before speaking, "Just leave the papers on my desk. I'll finish them later."

Van Pelt stepped hesitantly forward and placed the folder on the desk. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but her boss' expression deterred her and she closed it again, "Thanks Boss," She turned to walk out of the office, and Lisbon almost let out a relieved sigh, but then the red-head turned to look at her, "Oh and Jane asked me to tell you that he wanted discuss something over a burger."

Lisbon raised an eyebrow and took a deep breath before nodding, "Thank you, Van Pelt. Would you tell Jane that if he wants to tell me about something he can tell me in person?"

Grace left quickly and Teresa watched the young woman join her colleagues in the bull-pen. Lisbon crossed her arms on the desk and lowered her head to them, her nearly black hair cascading around her in a wave. It seemed she couldn't get a break with her life. She had relinquished her custody of her daughters to her aunt because she had wished to get through college but now? She was a state agent for Christ's sake! It wasn't as though there was a way she could raise two teenage girls with her job and her hours.

Lisbon let out an exhausted and exasperated sigh. "You just love to knock me down," she commented rhetorically. A knock sounded against the door frame. She lifted her ahead again expecting Jane.

"What do you want no…" She stopped halfway through her annoyed exclamation as Agent Hightower stood in the door frame, "Agent Hightower." The brunette managed to stumble and then she continued, "I apologize I thought you were-"

"I know who you thought I was agent Lisbon," Madeline Hightower replied a normal smile quarking over her lips as though it was revealing something she knew. That smile irritated Lisbon because she understood what the supervisor thought she saw. She was a detective too. She knew how a person reacted if they read actions a certain way, "I just wanted to let you know that social services called from the main gate saying they were sending them up."

Lisbon paled. It was not often an occurrence but it happened them on one of those rare times. She pulled herself up from her seat and straightened the papers on her desk.

"Thank you for letting me know, I'll just…" She didn't finish the sentence, but pushed past her boss, hurrying down the brick-walled hallway toward the elevator doors.

"Agent Lisbon!" Hightower called.

"Yes Ma'am," Lisbon replied pausing in her step.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," the woman answered cryptically and then disappeared into her office.

Lisbon stood staring for a moment, caught off guard by the statement and wondering whether the woman meant one or the other or both of the things she knew, or rather though she did. The agent hurried to the elevator and pressed the button to descend through the levels of the CBI HQ.

Patrick Jane parked his silver Citroen in the parking lot next to the social services van and walked, with a swagger the befitted only him, into the large brick building. He passed through the visitor's metal detector and placed his metal belongings into the basket for x-ray. He retrieved his things after their journey had been completed and whistled on his way to the elevator. A few other people waited there. He smiled spotting a familiar brunette standing just ahead of him.

The consultant reached out his hand and grabbed Lisbon's shoulder.

"Hey watch it! Don't touch me unless I tell you to!" the woman spun and Jane saw that it truly was not Lisbon but someone who look very much like her. He was shocked at the similarities but buried his surprise under a bright, charming smile.

"Let me guess," he stepped onto the elevator and turned to press the button for the third floor, "You're going to the third floor in search of your Aunt." He pressed the button and received a glare from the social worker.

There was a heavy silence that stretched during the boarding of not one, but two young Lisbons and the social worker accompanying them. Then the elder of the girls spoke again, her arm draped protectively around her younger sister.

"She's not my Aunt, she's my mother," the girl replied snappishly, her eyes glaring with a fiery look at Jane, "And it's not really your business is it."

Jane was momentarily taken aback. For once his surprise showed outwardly. The thought of it, Lisbon being their mother, or a mother, had not occurred to him. And she had not told him. He quickly hid his expression of shock and addressed the girls again.

"So Teresa Lisbon is your mother?"

"Yes." The eldest girl replied, "Why is it any of your business?" Then she gave him a horrified look, "You're not her boyfriend are you?"

"Na, he can't be. Not mom's type; it's usually brown hair, not that gold stuff," the youngest commented.

Jane felt hot under the intense scrutiny of both of the Lisbon girl. It was not often the consultant felt so uncomfortable, but there was just something about them saying he wasn't their mother's type so he couldn't possibly be her boyfriend. He heard a snort somewhere to his left and saw that the uniformed social worker was appearing unable to contain her laughter and was snickering into the back of her hand. Jane ran a hand through his uncomfortably.

"Besides, Mom would never go for someone that was so stuck on themselves," the youngest child went on.

Jane was never so happy to hear the bell of the elevator doors. He stepped off of the lift and into the hallway, putting on a face that clearly showed to the rest of the world that he was completely comfortable with himself and then ushered the three girls along in front of him.

"I can take it from here," he told the social worker.

"My job is to deliver them to their parent or guardian directly."

Jane extended a hand, "Patrick Jane, I will be one of their guardians. So you have officially completed your job."

"Not so fast Mr. Jane. I was informed that Ms. Lisbon was to be their only guardian." The social worker argued.

"Well the government doesn't know everything. Teresa and I are partners," he leaned closer to her, "In everything, if you catch my drift," he was turning the tables now and the woman blushed and stepped back onto the elevator clearly just trying to excuse herself from the conversation.

"Very well, Mr. Jane. My job here is done. Just make sure they get to their mother."

"Will do, Ms. ?" he paused, holding out his hand again.

"Carter," The social worker shook his hand and then pressed the button in the elevator. The doors closed and it descended back through the floors.

Jane turned to look at the two girls, bot of which looked somewhere between horrified and flabbergasted. He gave them a broad, shit-eating grin and the herded the two girls like lambs with a sheepdog toward Lisbon's office. The same grin was still on his face when he jerked open the door.

Lisbon stood in the lobby wondering whether her boss had been playing a cruel joke on her, telling her of the social worker's arrival. In annoyance the agent stormed back over to the elevator door and roughly pressed the button. The few people that had lined up behind her backed away slightly. She had a reputation as quite possibly one of the worst people in the office to tangle with when they were in a temper. The other elevator dinged and a single woman in a uniform stepped out. She was a social worker.

Lisbon hurried over to her and caught her arm disregarding the fact that the elevator was now ascending through the building again as quickly as though it were aiding the other workers in their escape from her irritation. She paid it no mind and turned the social worker to face her.

"Oh I just left your girls with your boyfriend," the worker smiled a wide smile, "He said he'd bring them to you. And don't worry, your secrets safe with me. I won't tell a soul."

"What?" she asked, her voice was strained and terribly rigid. Even uttering the single word was difficult for her. She watched the woman squirm. Though, Ms. Carter was considerably taller that her it was clear that the little woman before her had her complete and utterly intimidated.

"Your girls are upstairs with a man that was on the elevator with us. He was getting off at your floor and promised to take them to you as he was partial guardian." The woman shrunk back and looked longingly at the doors.

"Thank you for bringing them," she spun on her heal and march purposefully back to the elevators.

Several people there murmured about forgetting things in the car or having to go to the bathroom and left quite abruptly so that she was left to ride the elevator alone up to the third floor yet again. Lisbon stepped off and walked angrily down the hallway. Once she rounded the corner and saw the blonde man near her office knocking on her door with her three daughters around her she yelled at him.

"Jane!" her voice was loud and clear and very angry.

IF she had been properly paying attention to her surroundings, she would have noticed that work on the third floor had slowed in pace and had all but completely stopped. Cho looked up from his book, The Stand, and was focused intently on the hall outside the bull pen. Rigsby paused while holding his many case folders and walking across the room, his face was also focused on the hallway but his slack jawed appearance gave him the obvious look of gawking. Van Pelt looked up from her computer, neither surprised nor deterred by the anger in her boss' tone. She examined the scene with something that appear polite interest since it was "impolite to stare".

Lisbon drew back her hand and punched Jane hard, ignoring the fact that her daughters were watching, she dragged the man into one of the interrogation cubicles by the front of his shirt and threw him down into one of the chairs. Then she slammed the door behind her. Teresa rounded on him with the same tactic that she gave the most arrogant of her suspects and the tactic she gave teenage boys who thought she was "hot".

"Why Lisbon, you look lovely today, is that a new shirt?" Jane had chosen his usual angle, vague and ignorance of his actions.

"Don't do this Jane, don't you play coy with me," she slammed her hands into the table hoping he would jump. He didn't.

"You know Lisbon, you should really try something new. I've interrogated with you. I can predict what you're going to do."

"Oh really Jane. Well why don't you use your incredible omniscience to tell me why I am so effing pissed at you right now?" She crossed her arms, her legs place shoulder width apart and her teeth clenched.

Jane studied her for a moment and it seemed he decided playing the fool would work no longer so instead he pretended there was nothing for her to be angry about.

"Oh Lisbon, come on now. Have a sense of humor," He crossed his arms over his chest a different more arrogant grin on his face now, "I was just kidding. It's not as though anyone actually believed me when I said it."

Lisbon looked at him as though he had gone insane she'd backed up from the table and started pacing but now she slammed the butts of her wrists down on the table so hard and so close to him that this time Jane did actually jump, forcing his chair back away from her. Her face was so close to his that she could feel his breath on her face, she let out a mad huff of air and then answered him.

"That's the problem Jane. The social worker did believe you and, I'm pretty certain from the stares I got coming up here that a few other people who heard did too," She leaned even closer, "Those girls you met up there are my responsibility Jane. I don't think you understand what I mean by that. I need this job Jane, and you going around and telling people that we are together, does not help the 'me having a job' part of that statement. Hightower is watching my team's every move. If you mess up, I take the punch remember?" for once Lisbon wished she had something to throw at him very hard but instead she allowed herself to be satisfied with the bruise that was growing on his left cheek where her fist had made contact. She backed up and walked to the door only to notice on her way out that the light on the observation room camera was on. As she watched it went out so fast that she thought she must not be seeing properly. Shaking her head she stormed out of the room, slamming the door hard behind her.

Van Pelt transferred her gaze to Rigsby who transferred his gaze to Cho. Each knew the other was wondering exactly the same thing. What exactly had happened and why was Lisbon so very angry? And who were the three girls who looked so much like their boss, herself.

"Hey, you're Lisbon's team right?" a brown haired guy from the cybercrimes unit stuck his head into their section of the Bull-pen.

"Yeah," Van Pelt spun in her chair giving the guys a once over, something she knew her colleague wouldn't fail to notice, "Why?" her voice lowered slightly in tone.

The guys looked as though he'd finally gotten the chance to share something really really juicy with a friend. He hastened into the bull-pen and collapsed onto Jane's couch.

"Cat's out of the bag," he commented, "Rigsby, you like your boss too much, you owe me forty bucks, pay up."

"Why?" Rigsby tried to ask menacingly but he just sounded vaguely whiny.

"You lost your bet. You bet Lisbon and Jane would not get together because they work together and Lisbon is all about the rules." He grinned, "Turns out Rigs was wrong. Jane and Lisbon are partners. And those kids out there, they aren't your boss' brothers, they're hers. She has two teenage girls."

The team looked stunned for a moment and then the cybercrimes guy started laughing.

"You should see your faces, it's like someone killed your favorite pet." He was consumed by his laughter only to be cut off by the clearing of a throat from the doorway.

Lisbon stood there watching and then gestured with a hand, "Get back to work. We still have two cases to solve and a mess of paperwork. She turned and ushered her girls into her office. Once inside the confines of the glass room, she shut all of the blinds and turned to them, arms a small smile on her face and just a hint that there might be tears in her eyes. The younger, Kailey, rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her mother's middle.

"I missed you mom," Kailey mumbled into Lisbon's chest.

Teresa wrapped her arms around her youngest daughter, holding her tight to her body a tearful smile on her face, "I miss you too. Both of you. You have no idea how hard it was for me to give you up."

Maria stayed back, her eyes filled with silent tears that ran down her face. Lisbon looked up after a few moment and released Kailey. Both looked shocked but then she stepped forward to look eyes to eye at her eldest daughter. The piercing green eyes were there only her daughter's dark hair hung almost to her waist rather than the short cut her mother wore.

"Maria?" She asked tentatively, reaching forward and placing a hand on the sixteen year old's arm. This elicited more tears from the girl. Lisbon had honestly never known one of her daughters to be so completely emotional, she pulled her arms around her and pressed her head into her shoulder.

"Aunt Christine, died." Maria sobbed, "I was there, it was my fault, I distracted her. And then the car just shot through the light, heading right for us. I'd told her something and she was mad so she wasn't paying attention and she turned the car to the side when she saw the driver and then it hit her. She was there and then she wasn't. It was like some sick joke. And it was my fault." Maria pulled her Lisbon closer to her if possible.

"No it wasn't Maria, it wasn't your fault," Lisbon held her head tight to her shoulder letting the girl cry as much as she needed, something she'd never been allowed to do when she'd lost her mother, "It's never anyone's fault. Your aunt Christine, made the choice to give up her life. She never wanted you to spend the rest of your teenage years blaming yourself for it." She rubbed the girl's back, her lip momentarily tucked between her teeth, "It will all be alright. I promise. It will all get better with time. You will feel like this for a while but-" she was cut off as her daughter jerked away from her abruptly and ran from the room.

Lisbon lifted a hand to her lip as she realized she was bleeding. She lifted a Kleenex from the box on the desk and pressed it over the blood to stem it. Holding up a finger to her youngest daughter, she slipped from the room and followed her eldest. She there just in time to see the girl double over. Thinking quickly, more of a reflex than anything else, she shoved a trashcan from a nearby office under the girl's mouth, saving the janitor from cleaning up a mess. She let out a rough sigh and averted her gaze, vomit never having been one of her favorite things. She rubbed the girl's back hoping that that would at least help her feel more comfortable.

After about the third round of vomiting, Lisbon had become conscious of people staring. Mail carriers, dropping off the office mail, were gawking and several of the new serial killer unit, whose garbage can she'd stolen, were wandering in and out of their office quite frequently.

Maria stood up, looking pale and shaky. One of her hands was pressed to her temple and the other wrapped around her still unsettled stomach. Lisbon helped her sit down against the wall and place her head between her knees for a moment. When the girl sat back up, she looked at her mother with blotchy red eyes and a pale face and wrapped her arms around Lisbon's neck.

"I'm sorry Mom," she whispered hoarsely, "I never meant for this to happen. I was certain I couldn't but, please promise me you won't be mad, promise." Maria begged quietly and Lisbon drew back away from her, dreading the next line that she hoped and prayed to whatever god there was, wouldn't fall out of her sixteen year-old daughter's mouth.

"Mom, I'm-I'm pregnant," Maria looked at her weekly, tears still clinging to her eyelashes.


	2. The Truth Will Out

Chapter 2

The Truth Will Out

a/n- Wow I am sufficiently amazed by the response to this fic. I figured it would be an absolute bust but I guess not. I would appreciate if some of you guys reviewed (Thanks to Jisbon4ever who did) and told me what you thought. You can tell me anything, I won't be offended. Alright I know some of you are wondering about Maria and Kailey. The truth about them is in this chapter but it easy to miss so I'll put it here. Yes, Lisbon's father is their father. Disturbing but true. I figured I'd try a new angle.

Warning: There is one swear word in here that probably shouldn't be in a teen rated story but I've seen people drop the F-bomb in stories rated teen so I suppose it's relative as to what was wrong for you to say while you were being raised.

Enjoy,

Tabitha

Lisbon pulled her daughter close again and pressed a kiss into her hair. Her mind was screaming about how she should be mad, how she should have yelled at the girl the minute she found out, but she could do nothing. Yes she was terribly disappointed and yes shocked, but she felt no rise in temper, only empathy. She helped the girl to her feet, waving down one of the janitors to do something with the garbage can, and with a hand wrapped tightly around her daughter's waist to keep her wobbly legs steady, she helped the girl back to her office and down onto one of the chairs.

She would have put her on the couch but it seemed it was occupied by her consultant, who entertained her daughter by teaching her magic trick. Kids of all ages seemed to like and trust him. Jane looked up the moment she walked in and broke into a broad grin, pointing at a coffee he'd placed on her desk. She glanced at it suspiciously and then took a sip. Lisbon had not tasted coffee this good in a long time. It still didn't change the fact that she was still mad at him.

"Jane, this is a family matter. Out!" she pointed at the door.

Kailey, who seemed to have taken to Jane in an instant, turned to their mother with disappointment.

"Can't Patrick stay? I thought he was family…" Kailey stopped speaking when she saw her mother's face.

"No he can't, in fact you two should go for a little while; I have to talk to Maria and I'll handle this better alone. Now go on learn your magic tricks out in the bull pen. Jane has his own couch." Lisbon looked at the gold-haired, blue-eyed consultant threateningly.

The two of them left quickly leaving her to deal with her daughter alone. Teresa lifted her gaze to Maria when the door closed. She took her chair and pulled it around the desk so it sat in front of the teenager. She took her seat and grabbed her daughter's hand giving it a squeeze. The girl started crying again. Tears ran down her face unceasingly. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the girl again, at a loss of what else to do. Once Maria calmed again, Lisbon settled back in her chair and kept a tight hold on the young woman's hand.

Lisbon smiled awkwardly trying to show her daughter that she was not mad.

"What's his name?" She asked calmly and then she licked her lips nervously.

Maria looked up at her returning her smile with a watery one of her own, "Derrick. Derrick Leroy. He's been my crush since seventh grade and I thought he would be different to me but I guess he really does just care about the…" the girl lowered her voice as though she was talking about something that should never be uttered aloud, "sex. He wouldn't talk to me afterward and he ran off while I was still…" She looked down at her lap but even then, Lisbon could tell her cheeks were the color of tomatoes.

"It's alright. I won't say a word until you've finished explaining," She rubbed the back of the girls hand with her thumb trying everything she could to reassure her that she would not be mad, at least not externally.

"Everyone at school was talking about how wonderful it was, about what a fun thing to do sex was and I just got so caught up in what he was doing I didn't think. I won't say I didn't want to, I just never thought that we could…would…that this would…" she looked up again, "I'm sorry."

"Don't say you're sorry," Lisbon reprimanded, "Don't say you're sorry for something that is irreversible. What happened, happened. Now, you have to deal with the consequences. Apologizing to me does nothing." She stopped herself before she lost control.

"Mom, I didn't want this. I wanted to go to college and study forensics like you did. I wanted to join CBI and solve crimes in the forensics division. I wanted to…"

Lisbon cut her off with a squeeze of her hand, "Maria, listen to me." She got up out of the chair and placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders and knelt on the floor in front of her, "I had you when I was fourteen years old. I was pregnant when I was fifteen and lost that baby and then another when I was your age and Kailey when I was seventeen. I've been where you are now and I know what you're going through. You just detailed to me what you wanted to be, told me that someday you wanted to be like me. If I made it all the way with the two of you, albeit with help, and my brothers, you can too. I only gave you to my Aunt because I thought my job was too dangerous." She stared her daughter in the eyes, so close she could see her doppleganger's tears.

Maria stared back for a moment and then her eyes dropped to her lap again. Lisbon drew away and rested on the edge of her chair again.

"I…I don't know what to do. I just can't believe…I…" the girl touched her stomach lightly and shakily as though she really didn't know how to wrap her mind around the fact that she truly was pregnant.

"How far along are you?" Lisbon asked calmly, her emotions back in check.

"14 weeks," Maria answered quietly, "I didn't tell him."

"Did you want to?" Lisbon thought this was sounding vaguely like an interrogation now but her daughter did not seem to notice.

"No, I don't want him to ever know," Her daughter lifted her eyes from her lap angrily, "I never want to stupid dick to know that he's a father."

Lisbon flinched in surprise at her daughter's use of the profanity but she supposed the situation merited the response, "You have every right not to tell him."

Maria sat there very quietly for a moment and then looked up, "Does my father know I exist?"

Lisbon went rigid, her back muscles tightening as her blood ran cold. It was the last question she had expected from her daughter and the last she wanted to answer. Slowly she fought the panic down and opened her mouth to speak.

"No," she answered honestly, "He met you but he does not know that you're his." The agent licked her lips, "And I have no desire for you to ever meet him."

Maria looked surprise at the harsh cold that had suddenly chilled her mother's voice. Lisbon knew her daughter had noticed and hoped she did not think the anger and fear were linked to her. She looked into Maria's dark green eyes and knew that the girl did not think that the emotional display of poker faced taughtness had only alerted her to the uncomfortable topic.

A knock interrupted what she had been about to say next and she looked up. Cho pushed the door open, his usual stoic expression on his face.

"Boss we just got a call from SFPD, they found Maddie Clenmore, the mayor's daughter. She's dead in a ditch off of the main highway," His usual nondescript expression and plain monotone voice broke the atmosphere in the room like the skin of a water balloon.

"Get everything together. Tell the SFPD that we will be there within three hours," She stood pushing her chair back behind her desk and turned to her daughter, "We'll finish with this later. I have to take you and your sister back to the apartment. I don't know how late I'll be back but it will be late. I'm assuming you two can take care of yourselves until I get back. It's likely I won't be home until after midnight. There's a spare bedroom with a queen and one of you can take my bed if you want. I'll figure something out that works better." Lisbon pulled Maria into a hug and gave her forehead a kiss. She felt quite warm, "Take some Tylenol and drink a lot of water. Get some rest too. These last few days can't have been easy."

Lisbon picked her keys up off of her desk and drained the last of her coffee from the mug. She carried it with her as she went into the bull pen.

"Rigsby and Cho, load the van. Van Pelt, you can stay here, I promise I'll bring you out in the field again soon. Jane, wait here and don't do anything stupid." She beckoned to her other daughter.

Kailey seemed quite taken with the blond consultant. She giggled excitedly as she successfully pulled a coin "out of" her ear. Lisbon's lips quirked upward for a moment as she saw the excitement that filled the girl, but as quickly as it had been there it had vanished. She would be damned if she ever let Patrick Jane see that she was enjoying watching him play with her daughter, or even enjoying him at all.

Kailey was the first to notice their mother's summon. She looked up and hurried over. Lisbon rolled her eyes as she waved shyly to Jane before leaving. Then she felt a twinge of protectiveness toward them.

"I'm taking them home; I will be back in under fifteen minutes. That should give you plenty of time to load the van," she dropped her coffee mug in the sink in the lunch room and ushered her daughters toward the elevator.

Lisbon cast a sideways glance at Maria when the elevator began to move downward. She remembered avoiding elevators when she was pregnant as they had always seemed to make her sick. Maria seemed only slightly afflicted and hid her discomfort well. Kailey was babbling quickly about something and broke Teresa's concentration on her eldest daughter. She transferred her gaze to her youngest.

"What was that Kailey?" she asked quickly.

"I said that Patrick is really nice. He taught me how all of the many magic tricks we learned work and also how to win at poker," Kailey commented, "and probably any other card game as well."

Lisbon looked at her, "He taught you how to cheat?"

"No, how to memorize the cards. Apparently you don't say that you memorized the cards though because that would get you kicked out of the casino," Kailey answered back, "It's not cheating but I guess they don't like it when you win a lot."

"Jane knows that. We had a case in Las Vegas and he got himself kicked out by memorizing cards." Lisbon smiled to herself as she opened the door to her car, "but you are going nowhere near a casino until long after you are out of my house."

"Mum why? They sound really fun and I love card games." Her youngest daughter whined as she too climbed into the little silver Nissan.

"Kailey, you can play cards with your sister and me. There's a deck in the drawer of the end table by the couch," She replied, parking and getting out of the car. The girls followed her up the steps to the fifth floor, where she unlocked the door and pushed it inward. "I have directions in there for Rummy and Solitaire if you want something to do while I'm gone. The list of TV Channels is on the table under the lamp and there's food in the fridge. Look around and make yourselves at home," the brunette agent lead the three girls toward the hallway, "The bathroom's at the end of the hall. There's a closet and the guest bedroom along the same way. There's another bathroom upstairs and my bedroom."

Lisbon leaned against the wall as her daughters explored the family room. For a moment she felt incredibly overwhelmed, realizing that she was now entirely responsible for each of them, unlike when she had been a teenager. Though the two girls could very obviously take care of themselves she still had trouble grasping the concept of being a mother again. She beckoned to Maria.

"If you or your sister has any requests while I'm gone, I'll pick things up on the way home. Don't hesitate to call if anything happens. And I mean anything. If you feel sick or crampy, call me and then sit down on the couch and send Kailey next door. Mrs. Darrens and her husband would be more than happy to help you out," she gave her a quick hug and then called her other daughters over, "I'll be back in a few hours alright. Don't open the door for anyone, Kailey." She gave them each a hug and pointed at the refrigerator, "Emergency contact is on the door."

The agent shut the door behind her on the way out and headed quickly down the stairs to her car. She opened the door and closed it with a snap, almost starting the car before she was seated in it. Lisbon speed off toward the CBI Headquarters, for once ignoring the speed limits. Once parked, she climbed from the vehicle and made her way to Jane's car. The blonde consultant opened the door of her, a broad grin on his face.

"Your chariot, Miss Lisbon," His voice was charitable, but with an undeniable hint of a smirk in it.

Lisbon had to stop herself from smiling as she slid into his car. Forcing a look of anger onto her face she glared at him, "Don't try to be cute; I'm still mad at you."

She could feel Jane smiling at her and cursed him for knowing she was lying. Jane pushed her door shut behind her and jogged around the car to the driver's seat where, he too, got in. The Citroen started with a quiet roar and they pulled quickly, too quickly in her opinion, out onto the busy street in front of the CBI HQ.

Lisbon chewed her lip as she considered her situation on the way to the murder. It was not like her to drift so completely off topic with an investigation blooming, and she berated herself for allowing her mind to stray, but she could not remain focused on the drive to San Fransico.

"So, the mighty Agent Lisbon, Mother Teresa," Jane piped up, cutting through her considerations, "You are still a mystery."

Lisbon turned to him, an eyebrow raised in irritation and questioning though she understood exactly what he wanted to know. She was not going to give up anything about herself without a fight. Jane was nosey and this was a particularly sensitive part of her past that she did not really feel the need to reveal to him. And yet she knew he was Jane, bastard, horse's ass, arrogant, SOB, sensitive Jane. He always knew how to make her feel as though the world was not so cruel, so difficult, so heavy. In short, she trusted him, no matter how many stupid, annoying and self deprecating things he did.

"You don't want to know about this," she answered the implied question. Even accepting that she trusted Jane with her life, she wasn't going to give up her position without a fight, "It's better that this part of my life remains a mystery, for your sake and mine."

"Lisbon, by the end of tonight the whole HQ will know that you have two teenage daughters. We're bound to have questions, and you got yourself stuck in the car with the only person brave enough to ask them." Jane returned immediately, his blue eyes alight with that boyish twinkle of challenge.

"Jane, leave it alone. I promise you, you don't want to know," She tried to strengthen upon her buffer by making the man believe her that he really didn't want to know about her life and her daughters. The dark-haired senior agent lowered her eyes to the floor of the car, twisting her hands together.

She felt the car suddenly jerk off the road and lifted her eyes in surprise. She glanced at Jane who was looking at her as they rolled to a stop on the birm. Lisbon flinched as Jane's hand made contact with her shoulder.

"Teresa," the blond consultant rarely used her first name but when he did, she knew he was absolutely serious, "Nothing you can say will change the way I think of you. I'm here; you can tell me anything."

Suddenly a thought occurred to her, "Jane if you try to hypnotize me into telling you…"

"Teresa!" Jane raised his voice for the first time at her. He actually seemed hurt by her accusation, "I would never use my skills on someone I trust just because I want to know something. You mind is your own dominion."

Lisbon lowered her eyes to her hands again and then looked back up, nodding slowly, "Fine, you're my partner. As close as, anyway; you deserve the truth." She paused, "Kailey, you've properly met, but Maria you haven't. She's the oldest at sixteen and Kailey is thirteen. I had a pregnancy between Maria and Kailey, but he miscarried at four months and another at two months." She paused looking down.

"Oh Lisbon," Jane unclipped his seat belt and leaned across the seat to wrap his arms around her. Lisbon stopped him.

"Let me finish," Lisbon looked away for a moment as Jane settled himself back in the driver's seat, "If I'd had the choice, I never would have had them but my family was strictly catholic and I was raised in an environment when birth control was strictly frowned upon." She glanced sideways at him searching for a reaction. "I don't mean I don't love them. In fact I love them very much. But I…" The brunette shook her head and glanced out the window at the trees along the sid of the road. "Right before I got pregnant with my son, my cousin got me some, told me to use it, and I would have too. It was an absolute relief thinking I would never have to go through what I did…" She took a deep breath, "But my father found it during one of his drunken blackouts, and he was angry, so angry." She shuddered remembering his anger and how he'd begun to think that she was his wife when he had his blackouts. The agent remembered his hands grabbing her roughly and throwing her into his room, and remembered the horrible things that happened there, being beaten and raped. She closed her eyes, her face as white as a sheet though she did not know it, "He was the reason I lost my son, lost his son." Lisbon still felt the bile rise in her throat when she thought about it, "I promised I would tell you the truth, Jane, but you have to swear to me that you will not tell the rest of the team. I'm just going to let them think that I had a rabbit-like version of my teenage years."

Lisbon lifted her eyes from her lap to look at Jane. The consultant looked back at her with a stricken face. She had found something finally that he had not guess, or maybe not wanted to guess. Not that she felt particularly triumphant at the moment. She prayed for him to speak because the silence was giving her a chance to consider what he was thinking and the thoughts that ran through her mind were not good.

"Jane?" she asked quietly.

Jane popped out of his shock and looked at her properly again. His blue eyes were wondering now and she drew back from him a bit in surprise. She had not expected this.

"Lisbon, you are quite possibly the strongest person I know." He put the car in gear and turned away from her, pulling up onto the road, "You wouldn't want the team wondering where we were, would you?"

Lisbon sat in her seat, stunned and completely disarmed. She had told him everything that she had sworn never to tell anyone and he was making jokes about what her team would think. Annoyed, the agent turned her head to glower out the window, her stomach churning with conflicting feelings. On one side, Jane's new knowledge of her would perhaps enable her to catch a break from his antiques, at least for a few days though she highly doubted it, but on the other, she also had to deal with his questions and now she wasn't sure whether it was the right idea to tell him in the first place. Then again, as she had reminded herself before, she and Jane trusted each other with their lives and Jane had even lived up to that trust once. He'd told her things he'd worked every bit as hard to hide as she had with the truth of this. Lisbon looked up as she felt something brush against her cheek, pushing a strand of her dark brown hair back behind her ear.

"Don't worry, Lisbon, I won't tell a soul. You can take my word on it,"

"Oh I'm sure I can, Jane," she answered, her green eyes flashing, "because all the other times I asked you to say nothing you kept so quiet."


	3. A Red Plaid Couch 1

Lisbon reached for the door handle as they pulled over into the birm again. She pulled on the handle and then pushed the door open. Lying in the birm was a body, fiercely mangled and barely recognizable as the person it was supposed to be.

"Cho we're sure this is the mayor's daughter?"

"As near as the local LEOs can figure," the stoic Asian replied in a monotone, "They received a tip from a Ms. Beth Whitethorn, that there was something out here stinking up the place. She thought someone had hit a deer and then tossed it over the boundary fence for the highway into her back yard. Turns out it was a body."

Lisbon did her best to keep a straight expression as she stared at the decomposing and mangled body. Even Jane, who could always be counted on to do something off the wall, was daunted by the atrocious aroma of the body. Lisbon turned back to her team members.

"Alright, Rigsby, take Cho and talk to Ms. Whitethorn. Check her story and make sure it fits with the situation. I want to know the whole truth. Also canvas the neighbors and see if they noticed anything suspicious. Van Pelt, check into the speeding violations in the area from last night to a week ago. Jane and I will liaise with local officers and try to put together a timeline." Lisbon tossed a glance over her shoulder at Jane and shook her head in the direction of the uniformed officers.

The consultant stood and followed her slipping something surreptitiously into his pocket as he went. He let a quiet whistle, and Lisbon sighed quietly. She stopped and turned to him holding out her hand. Jane stopped in front of her and stared blankly. She raised an eyebrow at him imploringly but he still played the act of someone who is trying to be innocent.

"Come on Jane," The brunette knew what the teacher felt like when coaxing gum out of the mouth of a reluctant individual that wished to conceal the offending substance.

Jane's act continued until she felt as though it might be easier to just give up. Perhaps if other people had not been watching, for she could feel the eyes of the policemen behind her burning into her neck, she would have but this was not a battle she was willing to lose. They already had a lowered respect for her because she was a woman; she didn't wish them to see her as unable to handle her team members.

"I was following you Lisbon." Jane finally replied sleekly, or at least to onlooker it was sleek but to her it was cheeky. If he had grinned she probably would have been forced to restrain herself from hitting him.

"If you wanted to hide it from me you shouldn't have whistled," she glared at him and to her surprise, the consultant relented and took his hand out of his pocket. He dropped a necklace into her palm.

"Very well, Lisbon," he seemed to be pretending to be disappointed, which surprised her. He usually concealed his feelings better, but also why would he have to pretend to be disappointed. Normally the consultant reacted like a spoiled child when reprimanded.

Lisbon looked down at the necklace for a moment, noting that it did not have blood on it and then gestured to one of the officers. The officer produced an evidence bag and held it out to her. She dropped the necklace in and sealed it before allowing the man to take it from her. She set in with her notepad and pen, writing down the officer's replies to her many questions.

Lisbon sat silently opposite Jane in the Citroen as they passed under many street lamps of the interchange. She had to fight to keep the quiet, half-formed sounds of the quiet radio and the flashing of the orange glowing lights from putting her to sleep. The agent rubbed her temple with one hand to alleviate the slowly forming headache. Jane hummed along to whatever song was playing, though she wondered if even he could hear the soft notes and partial words that escaped the speakers. This case was so simple and yet, the necklace.

By morning Van Pelt would be able to identify it's maker and perhaps cross reference it with a list of charges on the presumed victims credit card. No one would pay for such a necklace with pure cash, it was too expensive. The SFPD, old friends of hers, had kindly granted her access to the entire case file, with many, "Hey Teresa's" and "How's it going, Lisbon?" and even one, "Hey Mom!" from her former precinct trainee. Her reaction, she supposed, wasn't what the poor man had suspected. It was not until a few seconds later that she realized his reference was to her former nickname rather than her actual motherhood.

She sighed and checked the clock on the dash. It was nearing 2:00 in the morning and her heavy eyes were making it difficult to stay awake. Even with the ease of access, her return had still taken longer that she had anticipated. Lisbon finally gave in to the urge to shut her eyes, if for nothing, to stop them from burning. It would take them some time to get to her apartment anyway.

"Lisbon?"

Someone was shaking her shoulder. That someone had a male voice that familiar to her.

Why was the voice shaking her shoulder? No the voice wasn't shaking her shoulder, the hand was shaking her shoulder. The hand had a voice? No the hand didn't have a voice it had a person and the person had a voice. Jane!

"Lisbon, I made you breakfast!"

She smelled eggs. Wait, he made her breakfast? She wasn't hungover was she? Why the hell was Patrick Jane in her house and how the Hell had she gotten in bed last night? She had fallen asleep in his car, she was sure of it.

"Mum, Patrick say's you're going to be late for work if you don't get up."

Lisbon buried her face further in the pillow, "Tell Jane he can go screw himself." Then it dawned on her that she was talking to her daughter

She sat bolt upright, nearly rolling off the bed. Her glance fell on Kailey's widened eyes. The thirteen year-old looked shocked at what she'd been asked to say.

"Oh Kailey, I'm sorry," Lisbon reached out and grabbed her daughter's hand apologetically.

"It's alright, Mum," her youngest daughter replied, "I just… Mum, you would tell me if you were planning anything important right?"

Lisbon looked at her for a moment and then glanced around her room trying to gain an insight into what Kailey was thinking. When nothing came to her mind she nodded.

"Of course I would tell you," she answered, it being too early in the morning for her to do anything but be perplexed.

"Alright," Kailey paused and looked shyly at the ground, "Is Patrick really gonna stay with us? I just want to know the truth. I don't like to be kept in the dark and I have been."

Lisbon looked at her trying to quell the anger rising in the pit of her stomach and patted the bed next to her.

"No Jane is not going to be staying with us," She restrained herself from continuing and then addressed the other matter, "What is it that you want to know?"

Kailey did not raise her eyes from the bedcovers but rather looked nervously at the back of her hand, "Mom, is Maria pregnant? She acts like she is and when I asked her she gets all defensive but she's never given me a straight answer. We used to be so close but now she keeps drawing away from me. I miss her telling me the truth all the time."

Lisbon sat quietly for a moment, remembering when she had tried to push Evann away for fear he would be ashamed of her when she'd first found out. She pulled Kailey against her chest and hugged her.

"Yes, Kailey, Maria is pregnant but it isn't that she doesn't love you or doesn't want to talk to you anymore. She's afraid that she's setting a bad example for you and she's afraid of what you'd think about her if she told you the truth." She held the girl a bit longer, placing a kiss in her hair and then releasing her, "Alright, I have to get going. I'm late as it is. I will try to be home before dinner so that we can spend some time together like we used to, okay?"

The agent did her best to fix her hair and clothes. She wished she'd had time to change and shower but the day didn't allow for it. Quickly, she hurried down the hall, giving Eliza a morning hug and repeating the same information to her as she had Kailey. When she entered the living room, she found Maria slumped back in a chair, her legs drawn up to her chest. The girl was crying hard, her shoulders shaking with each sob. Lisbon took a deep breath and sank onto the arm of the chair, wrapping her arm over her eldest daughter's quivering back. She pulled the sixteen year-old into her side and held her there for a short while. The girl calmed and then pulled away again, smiling gratefully at her.

"Thanks, Mum," Maria whispered, almost inaudibly.

"We'll talk about it when I get home. Get yourself some breakfast and talk to Kailey. She already knows. They just need you to tell them the truth. Kailey misses you." She kissed Maria's forehead, "I love you." She headed toward the door, furrowing her brow in annoyance as she spotted her consultant lounging in one of her dining room chairs, feet placed above him on the table as he read a newspaper, "Jane, let's go. We're late enough as it is." The agent walked out the door, "And give the neighbors their paper back!"

Jane followed her out and then locked the door as she was searching for her keys. Lisbon looked up, hearing the click of the door and then spotted her key ring sliding into his pocket. Her jaw set, she reached forward to plunge her hand into his jacket pocket but the grinning blond Jane, seemed in a particularly perceptive mood. He tipped his body away from her so that she could not reach them.

"Jane, give me back my keys," She ordered working very hard to keep her voice level. The last thing she needed was her neighbors gossiping anymore about her.

"But where would the fun be in that. Honestly Lisbon, you never see the amusement in life." He gave her yet another arrogant shit-eating grin and made a move to walk on down the hallway toward the stairwell.

Teresa snapped with that comment. He may have been Jane and sometimes she found that amusing but now it seemed he was being completely insensitive to her predicament, something she did not expect from him. He had always been so careful with her and so kind to her when it seemed the chips were down. She grabbed his collar and slammed him hard into the wall, all restraint of anger lost.

"Fun, Jane? Amusement?" her jade green eyes blazed a fierce dark sage as she looked at him, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't ban you from the CBI for being and ignorant, irresponsible child? All you do is add levity at inappropriate moments and cause me grief. You open your mouth and law suits are filed! And where do you get off telling my daughters that we are together. Or stealing my keys and letting yourself into my house in the middle of the night and then staying throughout the morning? Absolutely never again! If I ever catch you sneaking in I will personally make your nose bleed and possibly render you incapable of reproducing!" She let go of his collar and took several steps back away from the wall on which she had had him pinned. Holding out her hand, she waited for him to grant her request.

Jane reached into her pocket and pulled out the keys, "Looks like they were in hear after all."

Lisbon looked at him for a moment, a fierce glare in her eyes, "Don't try to be cute!" She turned, stormed off down the hall and hurried down the stairs to the parking lot in front of the apartment building. She reached the driver's seat door and was mildly satisfied to realize that Jane had left his car unlocked. Teresa ripped the door roughly open. She sat heavily in the seat, her hands gripping the steering wheel with white-knuckled anger. If she didn't have better restraint, she would have killed him for the Hell he'd put her through the last few days.

The agent looked briefly at her watch and groaned. It was nine o-clock! Nine! She was going to kill him for making her late. Lisbon looked up as a shadow passed over her window. Jane was gazing down at her, his head cocked to the side as though he was surprised to see her in 'his' seat. The blonde consultant opened the door and gesture for her to get out. She glared at him and buckled her seatbelt.

"Give me the keys."

"It's my car." Jane argued childishly.

"Give me the keys, Jane."

Jane held out the keys with a worried expression on his face. She inserted them into the ignition. The car started with a roar of the engine and then quieted. Jane shut her door and climbed into the passenger seat, adding his seatbelt after they left the parking lot.

Lisbon stormed toward her office, Jane trailing far behind her. Perhaps she'd finally made him realize that she was angry at him and he shouldn't be quite so clingy and irritating. She opened the door, pushing it inward and then slammed it shut. She had no sooner sat down then a knock on said door made her glance up.

"Come in!" she barked her voice harsh enough to make a charging hippo hesitate.

The door opened and a nervous looking Van Pelt entered. Lisbon took a deep breath and sat back in her chair. She cleared the anger off of her face and looked politely at her fellow female agent.

"Boss," Van Pelt seemed to be treading lightly as though afraid of what her boss might do if angered, "I didn't have any luck with the speeding violations. There was one person who had once been a juvenile delinquent but the others were all clear, no red flags. I did, however run an additional search on the broad spectrum of traffic violations. Check this out." The red head walked over to Lisbon's desk and set the computer down, "William Mckinnet, Irish mob boss. He was implicated in several murder cases but they were never able to make anything stick. He basically owns the upper part of San Fransico. SFPD, has been after him for years but they've never been able to get a conviction. He rich and he has a lot of pull with his men."

"Connection to the victim?" Lisbon asked her tone brisk and still slightly chilly.

"Well that's just it. CSU sent the body to D.C." Van Pelt answered nervously.

"They did what?"

"There was no viable way for us to identify the victim so they sent the body to some place called the Jeffersonian in D.C." the red-head paused, "We don't have any way to identify our victim yet so we cannot make connections."

"Does Mckinnet have any connections to Clenmore?" Lisbon inquired.

"Not directly no. Her cousin, Peter, bought some furniture from one of his businesses but I can't see someone murdered over furniture."

Lisbon nodded in agreement, "Put a surveillance unit on him until we know for certain who the victim is. I don't want him getting away. Come to me as soon as you know the victim's name and information. I want confirmation this is Clenmore before we move any farther forward with this investigation."

"Will do Boss," Van Pelt exited the office quickly and let the door swing shut behind her.

Lisbon let out a breath and looked down at the paperwork on the desk before her. She sighed and picked up again, beginning the pains-taking process of filling in the blanks on some of them and writing full case reports from her perspective on others. By the time she was next interrupted it was to find that someone, she was pretty certain she knew who, had decided to 'ding-dong ditch' her office door. She glared across the windows into the bull pen. Jane was on his couch reading a book. He didn't appear as though he had moved at all, but she knew better than to assume that of him. The agent stepped forward and nearly crushed something that was on the floor in front of her office.

She raised her eyes to the ceiling above her head for a moment and then stooped to lift the red wrapped package from the floor. Lisbon untied the ribbon on it and opened the box. She tried not to smile, her eyes lifting from the small package of cinnamon candy to look at the blond man in the bull pen. The agent turned quickly when she could not hide her smile and then slipped back into her office.

As she sat down on her red leather couch, just inside the door, she placed the box of candies on the filing cabinet beside it. She would not eat them, that was that. The satisfaction of her eating his gift would please Jane to no end because she knew he would take it as symbolism that their fight was over.

A card fell into Lisbon's lap and she threw a glance over her shoulder again. Jane had lifted his eyes from his book and was watching her, a slight grin on his face. She turned slowly away and twisted the other direction making it appear as though she had been stretching. Then the agent picked up the card and began to read.

_Lisbon,_

_I apologize. I merely thought you needed to loosen up. I did not mean to make you feel as though your admissions meant nothing to me. One cannot here of such horrors, for horrors they are, without feeling incredible pain. _

_I sincerely hope you accept my apology._

_Patrick_

Lisbon opened her mouth slightly and reread the letter another time. Jane was admitting a fault? She closed her mouth again and stood, surreptitiously picking out one of the candies and making her way back to the desk where she attacked her paperwork.


	4. A Red Plaid Couch 2

a/n- I know I know, this chapter is really short…so short I'm almost jipping you. Inreality it was part of the last chapter and forgot about it so what the heck. You get the idea. Anyway, I've been writing a lot in the Doctor Who genre lately and I'm going to continue doing so, but I thought it might be nice to give you wonderful readers something to read (and review). However, because I am in an incredibly good mood and the Jane/Lisbon dynamic in the most recent episode was everything I'd hoped it would be an more, I am posting another chapter for you guys. Yes, yes I am amazing aren't I? I'm kidding; I am in no way that conceited. Still, enjoy, and show you appreciation by pressing that nice little button at the bottom of the screen, this chapter and the next.

Chapter 4

A Thousand Times Goodnight

"Boss," Rigsby stuck his head into the office and Lisbon jumped. She'd been half asleep on top of her paperwork, "The FBI is on the phone. An agent by the name of Booth. He said the Jeffersonian has identified the victim and will be sending the full autopsy report."

She nodded, "Thanks Rigsby." She called after the man had left the room.

Her brunette hair was pushed away from her face as she drew her hair back into a ponytail and then picked up the phone.

"Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon."

"FBI Agent Seeley Booth," a male voice came through the line. She couldn't help but notice he sounded extremely attractive, "I have your Vic's identity but you're not going to like it."

"It's not Clenmore?"Lisbon asked, her head in her hand.

"No, Victoria Sarah Peterson, Madeline Clenmore's married cousin. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news," Booth replied over the phone.

"At least we know who we're looking at. Is there a cause of death?" She asked.

"My partner would tell me off for making the assumption but in my opinion, it looks like the Vic was stabbed twice, once in the stomach and once in the chest," the man on the other end of the line answered.

"Either way she died slowly. Now we know what we're looking for. Thank you Agent Booth, I assume I will probably be talking to you again?" She inquired politely.

"Yes or possibly my partner, Dr. Brennan. Her boss, Dr. Saroyan may also contact you. We'd appreciate being kept in the loop if that's alright. Generally we enjoy finishing what we start." The FBI agent was only asking and for once she didn't mind the collaboration with the Feds.

"We'll keep you informed. Let me know when you have the COD." Lisbon placed the phone on the receiver and ran her hands through her hair.

She placed her hands on the flat of the desk and pushed herself up, proceeding into the bull pen. Jane, on his couch sat up in response to her entrance and the heads of her team lifted from their work to survey her.

"Victoria Sarah Peterson, go," She instructed as she passed Van Pelt, "Rigsby, phone calls, Cho track down the parents and the husband. Jane, you're with me."

The dark-haired agent made her way back out of the bull pen instantly, her hand slipping over the gun at her waist. She knew it was there and yet Lisbon felt the need to make sure. Jane had followed her, she could hear his even cocky step catching up to her quickly. Lisbon slipped back into her office, pulling her badge, notepad and pens from the drawer. Her hand closed over the receiver of the phone and she lifted it to her ear, dialing the number for Jeremiah Clenmore, mayor of San Fransico.

The phone rang three times and then there was a click on the other end of the line. A voice answered nervously.

"_Hello…" The voice was quiet and hesitant_.

"May I speak to Mayor Clenmore?" she asked looking down at the desk where Jane was rooting through papers.

"_My Mom doesn't want me to let daddy speak to anyone without the police there," the timid voice on the other end continued_.

"Well that's good because I am the police. My name is Agent Teresa Lisbon,"

"_An Agent like in Spy Kids? Cool!" the boy on the other end sounded overjoyed._

Lisbon was taken aback by the interruption and the enthusiasm the kid seemed unable to contain.

"Yes, like in Spy Kids," She raised an eyebrow at Jane who wore a shit-eating grin on his face, "Look, could you hand the phone to your daddy? It's very important that I talk to him."

"_Sure, gimme a sec," There was the sound of quick footsteps. _

Lisbon used the silence to her advantage and looked at Jane, "What's 'Spy Kids'?"

Jane looked at her as though she had just slapped him, "Oh come on Lisbon, you've heard of it," he appeared to be searching for a hint of recognition, "No?" there was a pause, "Oh Lisbon that is sad. I am making a trip to a video store on my way home and you and your daughters are going to come with me."

It was Lisbon's turn to look incredulous, "And why would I…"

"_Agent Teresa Lisbon," the sound of the mayor's voice echoed through the phone line cutting her off, "Saint Teresa, I never thought I'd hear from you again."_

"I have the DNA results from the body we found, Sir," she stated, "The victim is not your daughter. Her name is Victoria Sarah Peterson. I believe she's a niece of your wife's."

"_But you still have no idea where my Maddy is?" the mayor's voice was defeated._

"I'm sorry sir, no, but we're doing everything we can to find her." Lisbon's voice was as calm and reassuring as she could achieve. As usual she sounded to the person on the other end of the line as though she was in control and yet they ignored this.

"_You had better make sure you damn well are! I want my daughter home and in my arms do you here. If I find you've done anything out of line that would compromise her life I will sue the living backside off of you!" _

Lisbon set the receiver down on the hook after the corresponding phone clicked hard. She sighed, her head collapsing into her hands. She rubbed her temples, something she was doing quite frequently lately. The brunette agent had, for a moment forgotten her consultant's presence but upon looking up, she was mildly surprised to see he was still sitting on the red leather couch.

"You know, Lisbon, if you need to talk, I'll be here." He commented soothingly, so much so that she almost felt herself relax. This was Jane though, and she was not forgetting that morning's episode. Rather than respond she caught his eyes for a second and then looked away, pushing a few papers into a neater pile.

"So," Jane let the comment hang in the air rhetorically.

At least she took it as a rhetorical comment. Lisbon hit the top of her stapler rather roughly, sticking two papers together.

"What did that stapler ever do to you?" the blonde consultant editorialized.

Lisbon shot him a glare and then returned to her desk work, stapler set aside for the moment. She began to stack the papers, the awkward silence stretching between them, but at least it was not just her that was uncomfortable. Jane too appeared displeased with the silence. She gathered a stack of papers from an old case that she had yet to put away and placed them in the filing cabinet. Her eyes caught a slight movement to her right and she looked to see that Jane gestured for her to sit down.

She raised an eyebrow cautiously, as though on stiff legs, settled onto the couch beside him.

"So, Lisbon, what's on your mind?" he asked nonchalantly and then at the same time with concern.

"You mean besides you breaking and entering and me becoming a mother of two in the span of two days?" Her tone had risen just slightly at his comment.

"Actually, I didn't break anything so it technically just entering, which is in no way illegal," Jane answered, "And the daughters are overwhelming, but something about you just doesn't seem quite what I'd expect."

Lisbon examined the palms of her hands and then raised her eyes to meet his, "I would like you to help me with something."

Jane nodded.

"Do you know of a decent OBGYN in the Sacramento area?" Teresa thought the change of expression on Patrick Jane's face definitely qualified as a Kodak moment. If she'd had a camera she might have taken a picture just to prove she'd stunned him.

"I can't have missed something…"

"Boss," the door to the office popped open and Lisbon turned to face Van Pelt, "I have the information on the vic," She paused for a moment looking between them and then added, "If your not busy."

Lisbon stood, "Not at all; show me." She glanced at Jane one last time, laughing internally, and followed the red-headed agent outside.

Grace led her to the computer, sitting down at the desk and bringing up the file. She clicked on a few of the links on the page and then pointed to a point on the screen with her cursor.

"Sarah Victoria Peterson, 26 years old, Caucasian," Van Pelt started, "As you already know, she's related to Madeline Clenmore. They're cousins. A week ago, her husband reported her missing but it didn't get any attention because the SFPD was so busy looking for the mayor's daughter, they didn't even give her case a second glance. According to the database, her husband, Peter Peterson, was associated with our current suspect, William McKinnet."

"He's the one who bought the furniture," Lisbon commented, "This isn't new information."

"Give me a moment, boss," Van Pelt seemed surprised by the senior agent's snappish mood, "Now this in and of itself wouldn't have been odd, but the SFPD canvassed her house for us as a personal favor to you and sent us the pictures. Look at this." The red-headed agent brought up several image files showing first the rooms of the house complete with the furnishings, "None of the furniture he bought, ever showed up in the house he owned. Not a single piece."

"Can you find out where it went?" Lisbon crossed her arms over her chest considering the evidence she had just been presented with.

"I'm already on it," Van Pelt looked up at her.

"Good work, Van Pelt," she nodded in approval and then added, "Do you have an address for the vic?"

"Yeah, here," the red-head scribbled down the address and then handed her the post-it note, "Anything else, boss?"

"No, thank you. Jane and I will handle this. Call if you find anything." Lisbon took the post-it and stuck it on her finger before walking back toward her office and the still stunned Jane.

The brunette swung open the door and stuck her head inside, "Come on Jane,"

She left the door open behind her for him to exit through and made her way to the elevators swiftly. Lisbon pressed the button beside the doors and strapped her gun to her belt along with her badge and her notepad went into her jacket pocket. The doors dinged loudly and she stepped inside, joining the other people in the small space. The Agent gave the man next to her a small smile of greeting and then turned to face forward just as the doors began to close and Jane jumped through between them. He squeezed into an impossibly small space between them.

Lisbon could feel her skin burn under his scrupulous gaze. His eyes were boring holes through her cloths and body so that he could see inside her. She just hoped he'd hold his tongue until they were in the car. As amusing as his shock was to her, she did not need him staring at her stomach every few moments as though it were about to sprout wings.

The parking lot arrived, just in time. People in the elevator seemed to have noticed Jane's focus. Some had even taken up whispering to each other. Lisbon rolled her eyes and stepped off the elevator into the building's lobby. She could hear Jane's familiar step following. She slipped through the doors of the CBI HQ and headed toward her car. The agent produced the keys from her pocket and unlocked the car using the remote. There was a double bleep and then something hit her. A flash of light dominated her vision and her head smacked hard into the ground.


	5. Strive Mightily

Chapter 5

Strive Mightily

Lisbon opened her eyes and blinked. The sun was too bright in her eyes and spots danced over her vision. She heard someone called her name from far off. Then the voice got closer and closer. The brunette agent squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them again to see Cho, Grace and Rigsby standing over her, concerned looks on their faces.

"You alright boss?" Rigsby touched her shoulder and helped her up. An arm looped around her waist to help her stand even though she did not need it.

"I'm fine," She brushed the hand off of her. "Jane leave me alone." Teresa crossed her arms over her torso, "What happened?"

The team looked at her in surprise.

"You don't remember?" asked Van Pelt worriedly.

Lisbon lifted a hand to pinch her nose, attempting to alleviate the pain from her rather persistent head ache. She felt herself sway slightly and then her knees gave way. Arms grabbed her again and lowered her back to the pavement.

"Damn it!" Lisbon cursed quietly under her breath.

"Cho, call an ambulance." Jane knelt beside her and forced her to look at him, "Lisbon, look at me."

"Jane, I'm fine, just a bit dizzy," She tried to push him out of the way to stand again but not only Jane's hands but those of the rest of her team, forced her back to the ground.

"No disrespect Boss," Rigsby interjected, "but you would have fallen if Jane hadn't caught you."

"I agree with Rigsby. You should definitely stay sitting, at least until someone checks you out," Van Pelt advised cautiously.

Lisbon, slightly touched by the concern of her unit, stopped fighting Jane's hands on her shoulders. She looked at him dully, noting that he had little black spots on him, but also observing that he too sported some injuries. The burning car in the background shed some light on her memories.

"Does anyone know specifically what happened?" She asked trying to take a step forward and finding herself restrained.

The agents shook their heads quickly and then looked away. Lisbon let out a puff of air and felt her chest twinge with the pain of a bruised rib. Her eyes focus on Jane again and for the first time she noticed a lump was forming on his forehead and a line of blood ran down his cheek. She lifted her hands and removed his from her shoulders.

"I can walk across the parking lot to the ambulance." The brunette informed him and then she added, "Jane, come on. You should get that bump on your head looked at."

Lisbon's walk across the parking lot was not a short one. She had to stop and support herself against several cars before Jane had finally forced her to loop and arm over his neck. She leaned heavily on him then, though still trying to use her own legs to support herself. Occasionally she felt her knees buckle.

"Damn it!" she swore under her breath for the tenth time, as she caught herself against Jane.

"Now, now Lisbon, watch your language," He reached across himself and patted her condescendingly on the stomach, "Wouldn't want your little one getting bad ideas would you?"

Lisbon brushed his hand away angrily and made him stop. She turned and hissed at him, her voice low and quiet. The louder she spoke, the dizzier she got.

"Cut it out Jane." She growled, "Firstly, if we hadn't been interrupted I would have explained why I was asking for the number of the OBGYN, and secondly, I'm not pregnant Jane, and I have no plans to be any time soon. I'm only thirty; and I have a family." Jane stared at her for a moment, a concerned look on his face, "Come on! I don't want to stand in the parking lot all day."

Lisbon made her way to the back of the ambulance and allowed the EMT to help her in. Jane followed her, likewise aided, and the doors shut behind them. The agent made her way over to one of the benches along the wall and settled on it. She closed her eyes and leaned her head heavily against the wall of the vehicle.

"Ma'am,"

With a groan, she swiped the hair out of her eyes and looked up at the EMT that had supported her into the ambulance. The world was spinning slightly and she felt distinctly sick to her stomach as the modified van began to move.

"I'm sorry to disturb you but I have to check your vitals and care for your immediate injuries."

Lisbon nodded and the van turned a corner sharply. For a moment the corner's swift force pushed her against the side of the emergency vehicle and then next she found herself reaching for the medical waste bin in the corner, her previous meals seeming to have found it necessary to rear their ugly head. She squeezed her eyes shut after she was done attempting to push away the burning taste in her mouth and throat. The agent wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and settled heavily against the ambulance wall.

The EMT forced her to tilt her head back and pried open her eyes to check her pupil response. He shook his head.

"That's a concussion. The doctors will confirm it at the hospital," He left her and crossed to hand Jane a piece of gauze to press to the cut on his cheek, "Hold that to it. You'll most likely need some stitches for it but for now it will do."

The EMT left them, climbing back into the front of the ambulance, and Teresa let her head fall back against the cabinets next to her. She was fighting against her stomach as the emergency response vehicle drove through the streets, the discomfort not the only thing bothering her.

She'd said it earlier. 'I'm only thirty,' she'd yelled at Jane. It was meant as a general deterrent for him to get him off of her back about the question she'd asked, but now that she considered her exclamation in comparison to the real reason she'd asked, she was shocked to find that her own sixteen year old daughter was three and a half months pregnant, and she herself was just the age most women had children of their own, far too young to be considered a grandmother.

Lisbon looked over at Jane. She was not surprised to see him staring at her, trying to read her thoughts. The most stunning part of her observation of him was that he actually seemed worried now.

"What?" she snapped though her voice lost its effectiveness as it came out in a croak. She licked her lips and pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"You seem very disturbed Teresa." Jane replied.

"Good, you're calling me crazy," she snapped, this time achieving more power to her voice.

"Now Teresa, you know that's not what I meant," Jane replied, "Stop trying to hide everything from me. You know it doesn't work. I can read your…"

"Yes, you can read my mind." Lisbon retorted trying to put up the walls he was gradually tearing away as he used her first name. It was disarming for him to say her name though she knew it shouldn't have been. She trusted him and yet that trust was grounded in their professional friendship, if one could call it that.

"Oh dear Teresa, there is no reason to act so condescending." The ambulance had stopped and he'd come over to sit beside her. Now he gave her hand a squeeze of reassurance, "I'm here for you, Teresa; I've told you many times and I'll tell you once again. I'm not here to make a farce out of your life." He sounded so sincere when he said that and yet she knew that there were times he though it funny to make her life a living Hell, just for a squabble, "Now, you had something you wanted to say to me earlier. Why don't you tell me why, you asked for the OBGYN's number."

Lisbon looked at him for a moment and then down at her hand, encased in his larger one.

Quietly, she answered, in a soft voice barely more than a whisper, she told him her reasons, "My daughter is three and a half months pregnant."

She felt Jane tense beside her in surprise. It was not as though she hadn't expected it but now he had actually given her the response she had anticipated, she wasn't sure she'd wanted it in the first place. Lisbon turned her green eyes on him, to see his face serious and surprisingly kind.

His eyes gazed at her imploringly and for once he did not insist upon giving her his two cents. She tucked her lip between her teeth for a moment and pulled her had away from his to fold it together with the other and tuck them between her knees. Her eyes closed as she stared blankly across the ambulance at the cabinets on the other side.

"I'm thirty years old, Jane. I'm not ready to be…" her voice trailed off, "I spend my life working. I don't take breaks except for Thanksgiving and Christmas when I have to and I like it that way."

"There isn't a single person who would take that away from you Teresa," Jane interjected in strong soothing tones.

"I have a responsibility to my daughters, but I gave them up for a reason," She looked sideways at him, "I don't want you to think that I don't love them."

"I could never think that," He gripped her shoulder tightly, "In fact I bet you love them more than any mother would. You're certainly more protective of them than any mother I've ever met." One of his winning smiles graced his face this time but it was, for one of the first times she could remember, an honest one, and a smile that made her feel completely at piece, "You're Mother Teresa."

Lisbon couldn't help but let loose a small laugh. How did he manage to brighten every situation? He was sincere when he said he was an incurable optimist but the fact that he could make her smile even when it felt as though the walls of the world were turning to sand a pressing down upon her, was a curious thing.

"You know, I never even had a chance to think about having kids," Lisbon glance across the cot again, suddenly terribly aware of the throbbing of her head as she gazed retrospectively inside herself, "I was too young to have seriously considered it. And then suddenly I was pregnant. I never had a choice. Now I realize that with everything I wanted to do I never should have had kids."

Jane's arms unexpectedly pulled her against him. The brunette agent couldn't figure out how to respond. For one, the sudden motion made her feel faintly dizzy and nauseous and for two, she was not used to Jane being so… sensitive to her specific emotions. At least beyond the pretence of his ability to read minds. Eventually, she found her subconscious had responded in the absence of her own cognitive thought, and her own arms were wrapped around him.

"I'm sorry, Teresa," Lisbon barely heard his voice as he whispered into her hair, almost as though he had not wanted her to hear what he'd said.

"Don't be," She pushed him away from her as she heard the EMT opening the back of the ambulance, "What happened to me then, wasn't your fault. No one can apologize for what happened to me as a child."

The EMT looked between the two of them and the shook his head, "Alright time to get you two into the hospital and have the Doctor's look at you.

Lisbon held the ice bag to her head as she sat on her couch that night. She leafed through papers that she "borrowed" from the office, looking for connections between the case and the explosion of her car. Her eyes squeezed tightly together as a particularly nasty throb echoed through her head. The agent let out a groan and leaned back against the couch, her eyes turned sightlessly toward the ceiling. There was a quiet creak behind her and she turned quickly, so quickly that black spots dance before her vision and the ice bag slid out of her had, into her lap.

Kailey hesitated for a moment and then stepped forward, a shy smile on her face.

"Mum?" the girl started softly and Lisbon wondered what she was about to ask.

"Yes?" The agent stacked the pages together on the coffee table to clear a seat for her youngest daughter. Kailey sat on the couch stiffly, as though ready to get up. Teresa sat a bit more upright on the couch to better look at her daughter. Kailey rarely acted so nervous and she worried about what she was going to ask.

"Will you always come home like this?" the girl reached forward and lifted the icebag from the couch, handing it to her.

It took Lisbon a moment to realize what her daughter meant but as she lifted the ice bag to her head, she understood.

"No, I won't." She dropped the ice on the end table and reached over to grab Kailey's hands, "I promise."

Kailey looked at her a faint smile on her lips, "Good because we've all agreed that we don't like seeing anyone hurt." The girl paused, "Especially you."

"You've agreed," Lisbon asked a rare smile crossing her features as well. Despite the recurring pain in her head, she couldn't help but find amusement in her youngest daughter's phrasing, "You've discussed whether you think my getting hurt is acceptable?"

Kailey's sheepish expression was enough for her answer. Lisbon pulled her into a hug, the humor of the moment coloring her sage eyes. The young teen seemed caught off guard but hugged back anyway. The agent looked at the case information on the table and made to sweep it into the folder. A voice stopped her.

Lisbon turned to see Maria in the doorway. It had been Maria whom had spoken

"Wait," Maria had called, "I want to look at it."

Teresa watched her eldest child trying to keep her eyes from straying to the slight bulge that was her pregnancy but could not. Maria, sunk down on the couch next to Kailey and reached across her little sister. The sixteen year-old pulled the file toward the center of the coffee table and lifted a few pages.

"Do you mind if we take those pictures off the wall and use it as an outline?"

Lisbon looked taken aback by the teen's no nonsense tone and nodded, "Of course not." With that her two daughters set about taking the pictures off the wall and setting up the crime scene photos in an order that she dictated. Next came the photos of several suspects and their information, stapled together and hung from the wall with push-pins. Pictures of bank records, evidence, and supposed motives covered the wall as well, each in its own order.

Teresa pulled herself up from the couch and wandered carefully across the room to the small table, where she commandeered a notebook and a chair. Her headache seemed a thing of the past as she set about writing down the information on the wall.

"This is so much better than playing clue," She heard Kailey mutter from her position on the floor.

Lisbon had to hide her smile. It may not have been proper for her daughter to feel that way about a murder investigation but it was actually quite an astute statement.

"This is all a copy right?" Maria turned to look at her, inquiringly.

"Yes, it is why?" Teresa responded, her eyes running over a set of lists the girls had placed beside each other. She leaned a bit closer reading the bank statements over another time just to be sure, "Look at that." The agent reached for a highlighter and bolded the income with yellow on the sheets, "Peter Peterson. What was his occupation?"

Kailey looked up at the paper with his basic information, "Small town amateur journalist, and…" she bit her lip and smoothed out the page, "A telephone hot-line operator."

"Then how was he making the kind of income he was?" She reached for her phone and flipped it open.

"Mum, its eleven o-clock at night. No one can do anything right now." Eliza had spoken up for the first time.

Lisbon's gaze fell on her and then she flipped her phone shut. She glanced at the clock on the wall and let out a sigh, the loss of challenging thought, bringing back the pain in her head. The agent turned to Maria and spoke quickly.

"You should have been in a bed a while ago," Lisbon stood and walked across the room to pry the pens, highlighters and staplers from her daughters' hands, "You need rest and so does that child." Placing her hands on her daughter's shoulder's she steered Maria toward her bedroom.

"Mum I can't take your room," the eldest Lisbon protested.

Teresa looked at her softly. She could hear the exhaustion in the young woman's voice.

"Yes you can," she made her voice as filled with finality as she dared; "I'd never get to sleep in here tonight. Besides, the couch is a better place for me to be." She gave her eldest a kiss on the forehead and then a hug before letting her go into the room.

Lisbon hugged Kailey, making sure to take care the girl did not see her supporting herself with the wall. Slowly, the brunette made her way back to the couch, ignoring the chair in the middle of the isle-way. She sank slowly into her tan/brown sofa and closed her eyes. Her headache pounded behind them even in the darkness. Without her hope, she lay down and pulled a blanket over herself.

a/n- Ah the beauty of the royal wedding this morning. The horses, the hat, the monarchy and the beautiful wedding dress and veil. Oh how I love real fairy tales. Inside I really just adore elegance. It was a gorgeous wedding and the two are so obviously in love. I swear, watching the vows on TV, I almost cried at the way the pair of them looked at each other. I wish I could have that kind of love. But then again, doesn't every woman?

Anyway there's my review of the royal wedding; now I shall return to sanity, submit this chapter, and go to class. I will also pray that when I next check my wonderful e-mail box there will be several e-mails that denote, "Review Alert". (hinthint)

Wotcher,

Tabitha


	6. Out, Damned Spot

Chapter 6

Out, Damned Spot

There was a loud knocking on the door and Lisbon opened her eyes, glancing sluggishly at the wall clock. Her ears felt full and her eyes still too heavy but nothing could be done about that now. She pulled herself up from the couch, wincing at the pain in her head, rib and knee. Slowly, the agent limped to the door and undid the two locks. Beyond the door a familiar blonde face smiled at her.

Lisbon, in her sleep weary state, opened the door and granted him entry to the house. She licked her lips, her hazel green eyes settling on his cheek. There were six stitches and an ugly orange purple bruise forming there. The lump on his forehead looked nasty but the consultant didn't seem bothered by it. He bore a bright smile and a bag of what looked like groceries in one hand.

"Jane?" she asked as her first lucid thought came to her while watching him walk to the kitchen, "Why are you here?" It hadn't occurred to her that she was wearing a long sports jersey that had belonged to her eldest brother Shane until just that moment. She was standing in the kitchen too, in bare feet and that jersey, before a co-worker. A blush colored her cheeks and she looked away, in embarrassment.

"I'm here," Jane turned to her smiling and once again saw the cut on his cheek, "Because you are supposed to be on bed rest and I figured I'd help you out."

Lisbon rolled her eyes and then wished she hadn't; it made her headache all the worse. She settled herself at the kitchen table, "There, I'm resting. Happy Jane?"

"Better," he answered pulling from her cupboard a box of tea bags; with a blonde raised eyebrow, he turned to her, "I'm touched that you keep tea here."

He set about boiling water, leaving Lisbon to restrain the urge to roll her eyes again. Now he had the upper ground, showing up at her house unannounced, waking her from sleep, and she didn't like it one bit. In fact her weakness, at the moment, was bothering the agent immensely, but she felt she had no power over the situation, being so disrobed. Once again, the memory of her apparel brought heat to her cheeks and she looked away.

"You know what's interesting?" Jane quipped as the microwave beeped. There was a pregnant pause in which it became clear to Lisbon that she was supposed to respond.

"No Jane, I don't know what's interesting," The agent answered, still never removing her eyes from her hands or her hands from the revealing hem of her jersey.

"The fact that you would never disobey orders when it comes to your job but the minute the doctor tells you to stay resting for a few days, you suddenly feel you know better than him." Jane sat down at the table next to her, a cup of coffee in his hand, which he placed in front of her and a cup of tea which he raised to his own lips, pensively.

Lisbon watched his hand for a moment as his fingers gripped the handle of his mug properly. The agent allowed a smile of amusement fill her features despite her aversion to his uninvited presence in her home. She lifted the coffee to her lips, closing her eyes against the steam from the hot beverage as she let it run through her mouth into her throat. She swallowed and then looked at him.

"Yes very interesting." Her comment held a bite of sarcasm which Jane did not miss.

His eyes met hers as she finally raised them from her clothing choice. She saw a light of teasing mischief in them and braced herself for his comeback, knowing the comment would be unrelated to his previous observation; there was too little for him to pursue there.

"I like the Jersey," he commented, "Very poor man's night gown. Looks good on you."

Lisbon dropped his gaze, hiding her blush again, but she heard him chortle across from her.

"If I had known you would be knocking at the door this early in the morning, I wouldn't be wearing it," she replied, her voice tight with embarrassment.

"Oh, don't change your habit on account of me, Teresa. I assure you that I would not change mine on account of you," Jane's voice was falsely solicitous as he offered his "reassurance" to her.

"How positively reassuring," Lisbon's bitingly sardonic tone, touch the air again.

"Have to ask, though," the blonde consultant added, "The Crystal Lake Tigers? I thought I was right to peg you as a woman of the city and suburbs."

Lisbon's gaze returned to him, all heat having left her cheeks. He hazel green eyes stared at him with a deadly seriousness that she knew he would not be able to withstand with his cockiness. Sure enough, within a few moments of her intense gaze, his impish grin faded to be replaced by a soft, concerned line. The twinkle in his aquamarine eyes became a faint, empathetic glow of warmth, intent only on her.

"Grew up outside of Chicago," the agent brushed some of her hair behind her ear, "My…" she hesitated, "Father," she whispered the word roughly, "lost his job. We still had enough money to get by and he found another job in Crystal Lake. We lived there until he died."

Jane lowered his gaze for a moment and then reached across the table to rub her wrist. Lisbon fought the urge to pull away from the contact, choosing to drop the professional friendship in favor of the one she knew they had. Her mind was still screaming in its usual reflexes, telling her to back away from his fingers and keep a boundary between herself and him. She looked him in the eye, a small, thankful smile on her lips as he rubbed small circles on the back of her hand. Then the agent looked away after that, taking a drink of her coffee. His hand returned to his place on the table as she set the coffee back into her hands.

"So, would you like french toast or pancakes?" Jane asked abruptly, standing up from the table.

"I don't own anything that could be used to make French toast," she replied, walking over to lean against the counter, mug of coffee clasped in her hands.

"Pancakes it is," He answered pulling out a frying pan from one of the cabinets and then the ingredients from a cupboard and then refrigerator. Lisbon watched with measured, and surreptitious fascination as he prepared the batter. She sipped her coffee carefully, and closed her eyes, once again, against the light that caused her head to throb with a passion rarely matched.

"How are you this morning?" Jane's voice cut through the silence as a knife through meat.

Lisbon's gaze jolted up from her meditations and looked sideways at the man flipping a pancake next to her. She let the corner of her lip turn upward for a moment and then set the mug on the counter.

"Better," she lied, her voice slightly raised in pitch.

"Ah, liar," Jane reached across her to the cabinet on her right and then grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen, "Take this."

Lisbon took a deep breath and let it out, regulating her breathing. It has been a long time since she'd been so close to someone. Thoughtlessly, she extended her hand and grabbed the ibuprofen bottle in a shaking hand. The agent opened it and took two pills from it, popping them in her mouth and chasing them down with a draught of coffee. For a few moments she closed her eyes, leaning on the counter and shutting out the light filtering through the windows.

"What's this?"

Lisbon opened her eyes and gazed across the room. Jane was standing next to the empty tan/brown wall, covered in papers and pictures. He was looking at her with an expression that noted he was vaguely amused. She looked down for a moment, her eyes betraying her embarrassment.

"My daughters put it together. I was looking through the case last night and they thought they could help." She moved across the room to stand beside him the cup of coffee still clasped firmly in her hands as she wait for the ibuprofen to being working. The agent rubbed her side and winced as it twinged with pain. Subconsciously she wondered whether it was really as purple as it felt.

"It's in your blood Lisbon. You've already corrupted them." Jane grinned, "You need to relax. Read a good book, watch a movie, play checkers."

"Checkers?" She interjected sarcastically, with another roll of her eyes, "The case goes on whether I am there or not Jane. Despite being unable to drive, I am just as useful here as I am at the office. Why shouldn't I keep up with the case?"

"Because you are healing Lisbon," Jane put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. Lisbon winced, closing her eyes as her head throbbed and she felt dizzy, "I apologize."

She opened her eyes and raised her eyebrows at him, "Thanks, I guess." She gestured at the wall, "Actually, I noticed something last night about the case. Check out Peterson's bank records."

Jane let go of her shoulders and turned back to the wall. He bent over, seemingly for dramatic effect and Lisbon rolled her eyes again, ignoring her pain. She watched him look over the paper and then back at her as though asking what he was missing.

Lisbon looked at him incredulously and then pointed at the pattern in the accounts. When he still looked decidedly confused, a smile spread across the brunette's face.

"Patrick Jane, stumped by a bit of paper," she grinned merrily at him, "That would not be something I saw coming." The agent laughed as her partner spluttered incoherently for a few moments.

"I read minds, my dear Lisbon," Jane answered

"And not words? I'm sure I've seen you reading a book Jane," Lisbon directed his attention back to the page tacked to the wall, "Look at the income, and tell me how it is possible for a telephone operator to make that much."

Jane looked at the paper and then back at her. He looked relatively put off. Teresa's smile lessened a bit seeing him look so defeated, but then her empathy faded with a whiff of smoke. She turned quickly around only to fall backwards into him at the world spun, her head throbbed, and she lost her balance yet again. Jane caught her against him and then stumbled backwards onto the floor. They collapsed to a heap.

Lisbon found herself, somehow, inches from his face, her arms trapped below her body against his torso. The agent found herself also straddling his waist, and, once she came to her senses, remembered her apparel. She turned her head to the side, her cheeks the color of ripe tomatoes and it occurred to her that she didn't think she'd ever blushed this much in the space of an hour. A pair of bare feet fell under her gaze and Teresa found herself attempting to disentangle her body from his with a speed no one possessing a concussion should attempt. A pair of hands gripped her sides and gently aided her efforts.

Lisbon squeezed her eyes shut and placed her head in her hands for a moment before rising from her nondescript brown/gray carpet. She caught a whiff of the smoke again and turned to her consultant who was picking himself up off the floor and straightening his jacket.

"JANE!" she yelled and then lowered her voice, "Would you please burn food in your own home and not mine? As you so stated earlier, I'm supposed to be on bed rest. I have to spend the rest of the day with the smell of burned pancakes wafting through my house."

Jane looked sufficiently cowed now, under the heated gaze of both Lisbon and her eldest daughter. He took a step toward Lisbon, but she sent him a spine chilling glare and he stepped away. Lisbon's face was still pink with color as she supported herself against the spinning world with the back of her armchair. Her breath came quick and fast in her chest, with anger and annoyance, and something else she did not want to face. Seeing Jane so conflicted would normally have been amusing to her but at the moment, she was not feeling very receptive to anything to do with him. The blonde consultant just stood there staring at her and then Maria, and then to her surprise, he left, walking through the front door, pausing only to say good-bye.

Maria crossed to the stove and dumped the blackened pancake into the garbage before rinsing out the pan and placing it next to the sink with the other dishes. The teen turned off the stove and then turned to face her. Teresa closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them, gesturing wordlessly to the couch. The mother and daughter settled on the couch and faced each other. Lisbon fumed silently to herself for her own unawareness of her condition and Jane's general disregard for propriety.

"Maria I…"

"Look, Mum, I don't know what I walked in on," Maria stated and then held up a hand as Lisbon began to contradict her daughter's assumption, "And please, don't elaborate. I know you're used to living alone and I can even accept that you're an… active individual, but I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Kailey had walked in on that."

"Maria," Lisbon interrupted grasping her daughter's hand, partially shocked by her daughter's rational tone, "Jane and I do not have that kind of relationship. Our feelings for each other are only that of a brother and sister. In fact the thought of ever being with him, has never crossed my mind. I promise you, nothing happened. I would never do something like that, knowing you or your sister could walk in at any moment."

Maria stared at her for a moment and then nodded, "I can accept that." Then the teen bolted up from the couch and headed at full speed toward the end of the hall.

Lisbon took a deep breath and laid her head back against the bolster of the couch. Her eyes slid closed and she wondered for a moment, why her embarrassment still had not gone away. One of her hand migrated to her cheek to feel the heat coming off of it in waves. In fact most of her seemed terribly hot. Perhaps she had a fever. The agent tried to dispel the feeling of unease settling in the pit of her stomach when her mind suddenly focused on what she'd told her daughter. Teresa tried to pull her mind away from the fact that what she'd honestly told her daughter she'd never thought about, she was thinking about right at that very moment and she did not like that she was at all.

Maria came back into the room a few minutes later, looking pale and shaky but relatively relieved. She settled back down on the couch next to Lisbon and pulled her knees up against her chest. Lisbon sat up a bit taller and gestured for the teenager to slide down the couch and into her arms. She wrapped and arm over her doppleganger's shoulder, trying to ignoring the ever, growing bulge beneath the girl's bathrobe and camisole. The agent pressed a kiss to her eldest's forehead.

"Mum," Maria began, looking up at her.

"What?" Lisbon asked, pulled from her own thoughts.

"I never got to thank you for not being mad," the girl paused, "about this." The teen placed a hand over her stomach.

"I couldn't be mad at you. Perhaps it's not what I would have done at your age if I had the choice." Lisbon paused to swallow, pushing down the concerns she had, "but you told me the truth. You didn't try to hide it or even say it wasn't your fault. You admitted you'd made a mistake." She directed her daughter's attention to her, "That is admirable, Maria."

Lisbon remembered the hormones well and knew at that moment that it was her statement that made Maria cry. She silently cursed herself and then held her child through the duration of the sobs. Once the teen's heaving sobs subsided she pressed a kiss to her daughter's hair and helped the girl back into a sitting position. She grabbed the tissue box from the end table behind her and handed it to Maria.

"Sorry," Maria muttered after blowing her nose a few times.

"No need. I've been through this too," Lisbon reached forward and rubbed her daughter's hand, "I have some questions I've been meaning to ask you. I didn't get a chance to do it yesterday, but I feel like it is important to have the information before I make your appointment with the OB."

The brunette watched her daughter's face pale slightly at the thought of revealing her pregnancy to the outside world. Teresa watched her for a moment and then pushed herself into a more upright position on the couch, grabbing a post-it pad and a pen.

"Have you been taking any pre-natal vitamins?" she asked.

Maria nodded, without saying a word.

"Alright, and you're certain you're 14 weeks?" Lisbon continued, hating herself for going into interview mode.

"Mum!" Maria snapped, her voice aghast.

"I had to ask, Maria," She pulled herself up from the couch, "Do you have your driver's license?"

"Yes but it's only a permit." Maria responded, cautiously.

"I'll make you an appointment for today." Lisbon continued, "The sooner the better."

"Patrick's right, you're supposed to be on bed rest," Maria contradicted, pulling herself up off of the couch quickly.

"It's merely a precaution. I assure you that I do not feel as badly as he thinks I do. It was only mandatory last night and recommended for today. I only restricted from field work for the next three days."

"Mum…"

"Don't put this off any longer than you have to Maria," Teresa picked up the phone and dialed the number she'd noticed had been left on the fridge, with information of whom the number belonged to. The next few moment ticked by slowly as she listened to the phone ring on the other end. She cast a glance at Maria, whose eyes did not quite make contact with her own. There was a click and then a hurried, 'Dr. McGuire's office, Lisbeth speaking.'

"Hello." She paused casting another glance at her daughter, "My name is Teresa Lisbon. I'm calling to make an appointment for my daughter. I was wondering if you had any openings for today." There was a moment of silence and then 'Lisbeth' replied, "No I don't mind coming in in an hour." She paused. "Alright, I guess we'll see you then." She hung up the phone and turned to Maria, "You'd better get dressed and wake up your sister. It will take us some time to get there this early in the morning."


	7. Prodigious Birth

Chapter 7

Prodigious Birth

The agent watched her eldest daughter throw her hands in the air and then walk awkwardly down the hallway. Lisbon was about to continue on her way when she heard her phone buzz from the coffee table. Despite her returning headache, it seemed even the ibuprofen was no match for it, she hurried to the cell and answered.

"Hey, Van Pelt," she paused as her red-headed colleague rattled off in a concerned tone about Jane's assessment of her boss' condition.

"Honestly, Van Pelt, I'm fine. Jane is just being overprotective," Lisbon listened to the agent again and then cut her off mid-sentence, "Look Maria, Kailey and I found something last night. Have a look at Peterson's financials." The senior agent waited for her team member to bring up the instructed information, "Do you see it?"

"_How did we miss that?" _Van Pelt's voice was incredulous.

"Looking at his financials seemed to make no sense," Lisbon answered, "We slimmed through it without looking for anything. I only noticed it because Maria and Kailey pinned all of the case information to my wall," She shook her head as Van Pelt responded and then set about her commands, "Cho is supervising until I get back from Hightower's leave. Tell him I specifically mentioned not letting Jane do anything stupid, or helping him." The senior Agent took a breath and ceased in her pacing as it was making her dizzy, "Trace the money. See if you can find where it came from. Have Cho and Jane pay Mr. Peterson a visit and call me when they get back. I want to be kept in the loop even if I can't work."

"_Will do boss," _Van Pelt replied and there was a click from the other end of the line.

Lisbon flipped her phone shut just in time to see Maria and Kailey emerge from the hallway. Both wore nice clothes and make-up. She glanced at herself and then brushed past them on her way to her room. The brunette slipped on a pair of dark blue jeans and gray t-shirt, before rejoining her daughters dizzily.

The agent looked at her daughters, both of which seemed rather reluctant. She let out a sigh and then lowered her shoulders, "Look, Maria you want to have a healthy baby right?"

The older girl nodded.

"Well then here's the solution. You need to be looked at," She turned to Kailey, "You don't have to come along if you don't want to. I can have Mrs. Darrens check in on you if you want."

Kailey shook her head, "No I want to be there for Maria. I'm just tired."

Teresa smiled to herself and then turned to the door, grabbing the keys from the bookshelf. She turned to Maria, "I believe you're driving." Turning back around, she caught herself on the wall. The agent closed her eyes for a moment letting the black dots threatening to overwhelm her slip away. A hand touched her shoulder and she opened her eyes to look at Maria's concerned face.

"For the last time," She stood tall again and gestured toward the door, "I'm fine. Now let's go. We're going to be late."

The drive to the Obstetrician's office was stressful enough without her daughter driving and occasionally looking away from the road to glance at her. Lisbon did not like other people driving her. She liked to feel the steering wheel against her palm and the slight resistance as she pressed on the gas pedal to speed up a bit. It had been so long since she'd consciously made the decision to let someone else drive. She was on edge at each stop light, each turn, each intersection.

"Mum, would you relax?" Kailey piped up from the back seat.

Teresa turned to look at her, "What?"

"Maria drives well. You don't have to worry," the younger girl looked down, "but then again you're not really thinking that she'll crash. You're just a control freak."

"Kailey…" Maria started.

Lisbon held up a hand to silence her, "Pay attention to the road." She spoke directly to Kailey now, "You were talking to Jane weren't you?"

Kailey nodded, "Yesterday while you were talking to Maria. He said that you kept us a secret in an effort to keep your work life and your personal life separate. He told me I shouldn't be angry with you though, because you hid it because you're a control freak." The young teen explained, "I wouldn't be angry that you kept us a secret though. It isn't as though you don't love us or are ashamed of us. Your job is dangerous and the less people who knew we were your children the better. It's logical." Abruptly, the girl pulled a pack of cards from her pocket and then shuffled them.

The agent sat back in her seat roughly. She cast a sidelong glance at Maria, who appeared to be nervously chewing her lip in concentration. Lisbon looked away, out the window and closed her eyes against the speeding scenery of the city outside.

"Patrick also said that you're the bravest person he knows and that we should be proud of you." Kailey's voice was so quiet, Lisbon wasn't sure that she was even supposed to hear this comment. She bit the inside of her own lip and kept her mouth shut.

They passed the rest of the journey in silence.

Lisbon ushered Maria into the office before her, a hand at the teen's shoulders and another one behind Kailey's. Both girls seemed mildly irritated but neither said a word. She ignored their annoyance and gestured them to sit in the chairs while she walked up to the reception desk.

"Teresa Lisbon I made an appointment for-" Lisbon was cut off mid sentence.

"Resa?" A mousy-haired woman walked into the space behind the check-in desk, "Oh my God, it is you!" the woman pushed her way through the desk and collided with her.

It took Lisbon until she was enfolded in a bone-crushing hug to realize who this woman was. She returned to favor awkwardly and then held her friend away from her at arm's length, "Jen, it's so good to see you."

"Likewise," Jen replied a wide grin on her face, "Though I can't say this is where I expected to be reunited."

"Nor I," Lisbon gestured toward the chairs in the waiting room, "shall we sit?" she made her way toward her daughters, "Jen, you've met Maria and Kailey."

"I certainly have." Jen answered, "My god, they look like clones of you now. They even have the same hair!" the enthusiastic woman glanced between mother and daughters, "Uncanny!"

Lisbon sat down beside Maria, "This is Jen, my friend from high school,"

"And college," Jen added, "You can't leave out your years as a geeky chem. Major."

"Forensics Jen, forensics, and I minored in criminal justice," Lisbon ducked her head at the mention of her past.

"Yes, all that. I have a Doctorate in Obstetrics so, if you could follow me, Resa, I'd be glad to have one of the techs show these two around while we get started," Jen grinned widely.

Lisbon felt vaguely disarmed by the spinning of the room. Her head was pounding again. She let a groan escape her lips and settled a hand against her forehead for a moment.

"Mum?" Maria, leaned forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," She sat up again, shaking off the dizziness and smiling at Maria, "I think you should head on in."

"The doctors said you shouldn't be up and around maybe you should…"

"Resa, what's wrong?"

Lisbon shook her head and stood, "Its nothing, Jen really, just a minor concussion."

"A minor concussion?" Jen grabbed her shoulder and looked incredulously at her, "What have you been doing? You should not be attempting anything that could give you a concussion when you're expecting a baby! You used to be more responsible than this."

Teresa's head jerked up to stare at her friend, thoroughly irritated now. Thoughts of Jane's patronizing and agitating actions the day previous sprung to mind.

"Jen, I'm not pregnant." The agent pulled her daughter up from the chair beside her, "Maria is the one here to see you."

Jen looked from her to Maria. The teen's face was slightly pink with guilt and embarrassment. She winced at the worlds when they were spoken. Lisbon looked back at her friend as if daring her to judge the teenager. Jen kept her feelings to herself though she was not sure she was at all sure of why her best friend seemed to calm about it.

"Alright then, Resa you can fill out the paperwork and then come back to exam room three," Jen turned to Kailey, "You can come with your sister and I if you like."

Lisbon watched as her oldest friend lead her two daughters away from her and then let out and exhausted sigh. Wearily, she walked over to the desk and took the paperwork from the secretary. Why there was so much, she couldn't tell but the amount stunned her. Once the agent finished the final page, she stood from the chair she'd perched in and handed the clipboard back over the counter along with her insurance card.

"Here's your card back," the secretary handed her the card, "and I just need you to sign this one last thing here." Lisbon picked up the pen from the counter again and signed her name after skimming through the page.

"Your card says that you're Teresa Lisbon?" the young woman asked.

"Yes, I am," Lisbon looked up cautiously.

"I just wanted to say that I've read the articles in the newspapers. What you and your team do for this city is wonderful. It's a safer place with you there. I wanted to thank you," the girl's voice was quiet as she finished.

Lisbon was taken aback. She knew the paper stories were noticed, but she was always caught off guard when someone thanked her for her work. She mumbled and incoherent 'no problem' and then handed the receptionist back the paper and pen.

"Have and nice day, Agent Lisbon," the young woman called after her as she hurried away.

"You too," Lisbon replied quickly and then headed back the hallway to exam room three.

She knocked on the door before pushing it cautiously open. Her eldest daughter sat up in the chair in the center of the room while Jen took her vitals. The agent nodded as her brown haired friend turned to see who'd enter the room. She moved over to the chair next to Kailey.

"What has Dr. Mcguire done so far?" Lisbon asked her youngest daughter in a soft whisper.

"Mostly this," Kailey replied, "She'd took blood pressure, and heart rate. She also check temperature and and asked a few questions about age, how far along she was, whether she knew about any STDs she might have."

Lisbon nodded absently. Her thoughts were absorbed in the throbbing of her head. She leaned her head on her hand and place an elbow on her knee as she watch the obstetrician examine Maria. With a hand pressed to the back of her neck, she was surprised to feel some of the pressure on her head had receded. It was still nowhere near normal, but she didn't feel as though she was going to be sick if she moved too quickly. Perhaps she really should have paid due attention to the Doctor that had recommended she stay home for the next few days.

There was a quiet clicked of heeled shoes and Lisbon was brought, abruptly, back to the present. She raised exhausted eyes from the floor and glanced at Maria. The hospital gown wearing teen looked uncomfortable and awkward before her mother and younger sister. Teresa watched her fiddle with one of her sleeves, pulling absently on the hem with nervous fingers. Lisbon lowered her hand into her lap and then stood from the chair, crossing the short distance between the waiting chair and the exam table. She grasped her daughter's tugging fingers and closed them in her hand.

"Relax." She whispered quietly to the girl, "Everything will be fine. You're healthy and you've taken care of yourself."

Maria nodded but said nothing for a few moments. Lisbon glanced at the door for a moment and then back at her eldest child. Neither made a sound, and the silence in the room was audible. Kailey appeared to be avoiding looking at either of them and was intently examining the ultrasound machine set up in the corner of the room. The brunette agent felt Maria squeeze her hand and turned back to look at her, the motion send her equilibrium off again. Unobtrusively, she leaned a hip against the examination table for support.

"You're sure you're alright with this?" Maria's voice was small but strong, "I mean, most moms would have gone off the handle at me. I don't see how."

Teresa let her daughter's hand go and then took her in her arms, "Maria, I would be lying if I told you I wasn't disappointed or maybe just a little bit angry, but I could never, be mad at you. I could never reject my own family."

Maria smiled weakly at her and nodded, "I'm glad."

Lisbon gave her hand a gentle squeeze back and checked her watch to see what time it was. Eleven fifty three. About now she could be arriving at a Peterson's house to discuss his wife. She could be gaining information about the case. The senior agent pushed those thoughts away. Today she was just Teresa, mom of two girls and she was supposed to be focusing on comforting the oldest. Bemoaning the fact that she wasn't out on a case was petty and childish considering her current mental cognition.

The door swung inward again and Dr. McGuire was back in the room, a prescription pad in her hand. She tore off the top sheet of paper and then handed it to Lisbon. The brunette agent looked it over. A prescription for prenatal vitamins, nothing surprising.

"Sorry for taking so long, Resa. There was a woman out in the waiting room insisting she was in labor. It took me a good ten minutes to talk her out of it," Jen smiled at her best friend and then turned to the girl on the table, "Right, are you ready to see that baby."

Maria glanced nervously at her mother and then back at the doctor. She nodded, but Lisbon felt her hand squeeze hers again. She tightened her own grip, hoping to give the girl a bit of reassurance.

"Alright then," The brown hair obstetrician rubbed her hands together and look around the room at the occupants for a moment and then nodded, "I'm sure you've waited long enough so let me just," she reached over and pulled the machine from the corner of the room and pressed the button, "We'll just let it boot for a bit." Another pause. "So, I talked to Maria and I talked to Resa but I didn't talk to Kailey."

"Its alright, I don't mind." Kailey commented, shuffling a pack of cards, "here. Pick a card." She held up the deck.

Lisbon had to stop herself from opening her mouth. One day with the girl and Jane already had her behaving like him. She heard a soft laugh from behind her and turned to see Maria grinning. Her eyes blackened for a moment and then her daughter's image refocused. The blood pounded through her head making her headache pulse.

"You're holding," Lisbon watched Kailey close her eyes for dramatic effect and raised an eyebrow in partial amusement and partial shock. Her daughter was a natural, "the three of clubs."

Kailey opened her eyes and flipped her short hair back over her shoulder, green eyes flashing triumphantly as the doctor turned her card around and then handed it back to her. Lisbon smiled at her and then turned to Jen, "Are we ready?"

Jen nodded, "It should be ready, yes." She motioned to Maria, "Lift your gown please, so that your abdomen is exposed."

Maria did as she was told.

"Let's see," Jen picked up a squeeze bottle of ultrasound jelly and placed it over Maria's abdomen, "Everyone tells their patients it's going to be a bit cold, but this won't be. We warm it up just a bit." Dr. McGuire squirted the gel onto the teen's stomach and picked the transducer up from the side of the machine, "Now, I'll need you to sit still for a moment, until I can find what I'm looking for. Then I'll freeze the picture for you and you can move again."

Teresa bit her lip and closed her eyes. Memories were rushing through her head far too quickly for her concussion damaged brain to handle. She sucked a breath through her teeth and leaned a bit more heavily on the table before letting it out and opening her eyes again. She glanced at the monitor nothing was showing up yet, not prevalently anyway. The agent glanced at her daughter's distended stomach. It was the first she'd actually seen the small bump that was gradually forming between the teenager's hips.

"Umm," there was a paused and three set of emerald eyes snapped on to the obstetrician. The doctor pressed a button and the image froze; she glanced up at the CBI agent holding the teen's hand, "May I speak with you for a moment?"

Teresa found herself instantly alert as her old friend addressed her rather than her daughter. "Yes," she stammered, "Of course. I'll be right back you two."

The Doctor printed out a couple pictures and then beckoned for Lisbon to follow her into

the hallway. The brunette did so, her hands tucked nonchalantly into the pockets of her well cared for jeans. Once in the hall outside the exam room they stopped and closed the door. The agent tried not to show her worry but she seemed to be as transparent as ever with her emotions.

Jen looked at her and then reached out a hand, "I didn't mean to worry you. I usually handle this better." She held out the pictures for her to take.

Lisbon grasped them with petite hands. Her eyes widened in surprise for it did not take a doctor to interpret the results of the image. She opened her mouth.

"Is there a history of twins in your family?" Jen asked softly.

Lisbon shook her head, "Not that I know of. But my mother never told us much about her family. She always seemed very withdrawn about them." She glanced toward the exam room door, "She's really having twins?"

Jen nodded and the grasped her friend's shoulder, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Teresa Lisbon nodded hesitantly.

"Very convincing," Jen's face was serious but kind, "Look I know that doctor's don't usually do this for patients but, you're only thirty and you have a very time consuming job. You won't be able to help her out. Have you talked to her about considering adoption?"

Lisbon shook her head, "I don't think she be receptive to the idea of giving them up. Maria… is already considering herself a mother. She feels these are her consequences and she must live with them."

"I would take them," Jen interjected, "She could see them all the time, she could be their mom, but I'd be taking care of them."

"I wasn't aware you wanted kids, Jen," Teresa commented, trying whatever she could to keep the subject off of her, "Last time you and I talked you said that you and Jim were having problems."

Jen nodded, "Problems because I miscarried two years ago. We'd been fighting ever since. Until a few months ago, when Jim changed jobs. Since then, we've been working better together. I'd be happy to adopt them."

Lisbon nodded and then pressed her fingers to her temples, staring at the floor for a while, "I'll talk it over with her. I'm not ready to be someone's grandmother."

Jen tightened her grip on her shoulder, "You weren't ready to be someone's mother either."

Lisbon nodded yet again and then turned toward the door to the office, opening it again. She slipped inside, followed by the brown-haired obstetrician, and sat heavily in a chair next to the door. Maria looked terribly worried and though Kailey was sitting on the bed with her, she appeared close to tears. Lisbon got up again and handed her the pictures.

"Everything's fine," she paused and breathed, wrapping her arms around her daughter, "but you're having twins."

Maria pulled away from her hastily and stared with watery eyes at the state agent, "Twins." She said in a very small voice and then glanced down at the picture. A silence passed the moments and then the girl let out a shaky breath, "Oh God." Her voice was small when she said it.

Teresa couldn't help but sympathize with her daughter. She was having a similar attack of anxiety at the moment, wondering how much it would cost for her to find a larger apartment, wondering about how she would keep her elder daughter in school. She also wondered how she was possibly going to finance all of the people that would be living with her on the somewhat meager salary she was currently earning. Sure, it was enough to keep her comfortable and probably her two daughters, but financing two babies as well was pushing it. Her green eyes flicked up from the ultrasound photo to Jen and then back to her daughter.

The agent nodded slightly and then released her daughter.

"Well Maria, I know it seems a bit overwhelming right now, but I want you to know that you've been taking very good care of yourself and both of the babies are healthy," Dr. McGuire rolled the monitor back into the corner and smiled, "There are just a few things I want to go over to make sure you keep yourself this way and do not stress over the situation." Jen sat down on a stool next to the small counter in the room.

Lisbon took Kailey's small hand and leaned her over to the two chairs against the wall. They took a seat. She leaned her head back against the wall. She felt exhausted and aggravated.

"Now, since you're certain you're fourteen weeks along, you're officially into your second trimester. It shouldn't be too bad for you. You should be pretty comfortable and the nausea you've been getting the mornings will go away."

Maria smiled ironically, "Mornings? Try all day." She commented sardonically.

The doctor smiled, "Yes, that happens in a few cases. Anyway, your mother has your prescription and I'm going to set up another appointment for you in six weeks. You'll have another ultrasound and we'll see how the babies are doing then." Jen handed Maria her neatly folded clothes, "Go ahead and just leave the gown on the table." She turned to Lisbon, "If you have any questions or concerns, Resa, just give me a call. You could even drop in sometime. It would be nice to see you more often."

Teresa smiled and pulled herself up out of the chair again. She stepped forward and hugged her school mate before letting go, "I will. Time just gets away from me sometimes. Before I know it, it's been a year and we haven't talked."

"You're a workaholic, Resa, you were even when you were in school." Jen grinned and then left, shutting the door behind her.

Lisbon turned to Maria who'd instantly reached behind herself and started to untie the laces on her hospital gown. She crossed to help her daughter out of it. She watched the bump between her daughter's hips as she pulled her shirt over her head and then again as she saw the girl struggled to fasten a pair of what she expected were size two or four jeans around her waist. She heard and exasperated groan and watched her daughter flatten her shirt over the undone button. Reaching into one of her pockets, she pulled out a hair tie.

"Here." She held it out to Maria.

"What?" Maria took the hair tie in her fingers and raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Stick it through the button hole on your jeans and then wrap it around the button as many times as you can. It makes it look like your jeans are fastened." She answered her daughter's questioning look.

Maria did as instructed, fumbling slightly under the gaze of her mother and sister. Teresa watched her rub and hand across it when the girl had finished fastening the pants closed and then gestured toward the door.

"Come on. I'm sure someone else needs this room," She pulled open the door and held it as her two daughters filed past her.

Maria stopped by the door and spoke quietly, "Thanks mum."

Lisbon nodded and waited for the teen to go on by before she left the room and shut the door. A smile fell across her features, a soft and small smile, but it was there all the same. She followed the girls out of the office and into the parking lot after making another appointment for the allotted six weeks.

Once in the parking lot, the Agent found her car had moved, or rather had materialized in front of the door. She pulled open the passenger seat and climbed in. Maria sat at the wheel as she had on the way over. The girl's expression was kind but reserved and she appeared to be concentrating hard on the sound of the radio. It was not long before she heard both girls humming along to the music on the station.

"You know you only have a permit," She quipped to Maria as they pulled out onto the street. Her hand tightened on the door handle as the motion of the car set off another round of dizziness, "With a permit you're not allowed to drive on public property without a licensed individual over the age of twenty one."

"She never left the parking lot," Kailey retorted.

"The parking lot is still public property," Lisbon replied, turning to look at the girl.

Kailey paused a moment and then opened her mouth to make a return comment but the car screeched to a halt at the intersection. A car shot through the red light in front of them. Lisbon caught Maria's reaction out of the corner of her eye and was torn between shock and amusement as her elder daughter flipped the driver off.

Lisbon took a few deep breaths and forced herself to let go on the door handle, affectionately referred to by her brothers as the "Oh Shit" bar for the number of times she grabbed it and said just that phrase while teaching them to drive. Maria pulled forward into the intersection and drove on.

Teresa pulled out her phone and dialed the number for the nearest precinct. The phone on the other end rang a few times and then a man answered.

"_Hello?" _The man on the other end barked.

"Hello, hundred and twelfth, is that correct?" Lisbon asked and glanced sideways at her daughter. The girl was staring at her and not the road. She jerked her hand toward the windshield.

"_Yes, this is Detective Hangeur speaking. Is there a problem ma'am?"_

"Hello Detective Hangeur, this is Teresa Lisbon speaking. I just wanted to let you know that you have a blue chevy sedan, license plate HYL 4894 going about ninety through on eighth." She paused and then added "He ran a red light right in front of me."

"_Thank you for the tip, agent. Have a nice day." _There was a click on the phone and the line went dead.

Lisbon flipped her phone closed and settled back in her seat, eyes closed. Perhaps she could not work on the case, but at the very least she could still help the police department catch people who recklessly disregarded the rules.

She let out a sigh, allowing her head to go back to throbbing.

"Mum?" Kailey spoke up from the rear seat.

"umhmm," Teresa replied, not opening her eyes.

"You just tattled on a guy for running a red light," the girl commented with perplexed tones.

Lisbon nodded silently, eyes still closed as tightly as she could close them, "He's breaking the law, endangering dozens of people's lives. Any one of the cars at the intersection could have been hit. He could have hit us."

"But, if he's speeding and running red lights, wouldn't that mean he was at least as likely to get killed. I mean, obviously he's a rebel. Isn't it his prerogative to break the law?"

The girl's question was edgy and slightly delved into ethics and the philosophy of character. Perhaps if Lisbon had been thinking in a reasonable manner she would not have snapped, but nothing had ever been reasonable about her actions regarding reckless drivers. The image was still burned into her mind, her mother, slumped over the steering column, gasping for air screaming and coughing blood. And dying in her arms. She'd felt her hand go limp, all the tension in the muscles gone as the woman gave up her life.

"The law is the law, Kailey. We have them for a reason. Without laws there would be chaos. It is no one's prerogative to break any of them. Do you understand?" She snapped and turned in her seat and to stare at her younger daughter, shocked to realize that she'd been this age and thought the same things when she'd been thrown brutally into the reality of adulthood.

Kailey appeared affronted and then flopped moodily back against the seat, arms crossed over her chest, "You know I was only making an argument. There's not need to take all of the fun out of it."

Teresa flicked her eyes over the preteen and then turned around to face the windshield. Perhaps she had over-reacted. Regardless, she did not take it back. Instead, she turned her head toward the window and stared out as they drove through the city.

When they arrived at their apartment, the mid-afternoon sun was blazing down on the parking lot. Lisbon shrugged off her coat, the one she'd been wearing to ward off the fall morning chill, and draped it over her arm. She smiled as Kailey looked both ways and then headed toward the outside staircase, hurrying up the covered metal stairs. Maria hurried after her, though not at a run. The CBI agent followed slowly, making sure to move just fast enough her head would not throb. The bottle of Advil in her cupboard was calling her name and so was the couch and the Baldacci novel she'd been reading the night before.

a/n- After an extremely long hiatus from all of my fanfiction writing, I am back and my goal is to update all of my fanfictions this week! I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to hearing from you in the time to come.

Wotcher,

Tabitha


	8. A Red Plaid Couch 3

Chapter 8

A Red Plaid Couch 3

After three days away from work Lisbon was tired of reading, bored with any version of afternoon TV and had not come up on any new leads for the case while staring at the tan wall covered in paper. She woke to the buzzing of her alarm clock, now sitting on the coffee table in the living room and gave it a groggy smack. The plastic object tumbled onto the floor. Sighing, she reached down and lifted it into her field of vision so that she could read the time: 6:20.

Teresa folded her legs and shoved the blanket off of herself, sitting up and stretching lazily. She licked her lips and ran her hand through her hair. A few moments passed and it dawned on her, quiet suddenly, that she had no headache to speak of and to make matter's even better, she was officially back on the force. This hastened her wake up routine somewhat. The state agent stood and folded the blanket on the couch, slipping it over the back. Her eyes slid over the stack of books she'd read, sitting on the other end of the coffee table. Several Baldacci novels, a Follett, Castle and Patterson all paperback and all obviously having fallen victim to her habit of folding the book back on itself.

She wandered quietly into her room and pulled out several items. She made as little noise as possible so as not to wake the sleeping Maria. Lisbon might come off as a hard ass professional cop with very little interest in her appearance but that was not the case. This day in particular found the woman rifling through her closet with as much vigor as could be done without raising noise above ten decibels. She pulled out her emerald shirt, pondering momentarily why her overactive mind had brought up memories of the gambling case again. There were times when she really did wish she'd kept that jewelry.

The brunette shook her head and pulled a suit jacket and dress pants from a hanger as well. It was not until she turned that her eyes fell on her daughter's face. Maria was sleeping with her arms tucked up against her torso. Lisbon smiled and brushed a strand of her teenage daughter's hair out of her face before stooping and pulling a pair of her shoes out from beside the bed. She hurried from the room, heading into the small bathroom at the end of the hallway. Once inside, she stripped off her jersey and dressed, a sense of relief falling over her to be in a familiar ensemble. There were still a few things left she needed to gather, her belt, gun and badge were still in the drawer in her room. Shaking her head, the agent leaned toward the mirror and began the painstaking process of carefully applying her make-up so that it appeared completely natural.

Once done, she slipped back into her room and opened the top drawer of the nightstand. Her gun sat unused, thankfully, in the drawer next to her badge. She lifted them carefully from the drawer and slid it closed with a satisfying click. Lisbon's eyes flicker over to her daughter, whom let out a soft groan but otherwise showed no signs of having heard the noise. She bent and grabbed her belt from the shelf on the nightstand, slipping it on followed by her other CBI standard issue necessities. Lisbon slipped out of the room again and closed the door behind her. In the kitchen, she wrote a note on a tablet and placed it next to the fridge. Maria and Kailey would hopefully see it when they awakened.

Teresa stepped through her door, keys in one hand, and gave the small rooms one final glance before closing the door behind her. Tired though she was of constant inactivity, she'd not realized how little time she spent doing nothing. The agent was almost loath to leave it behind. Only almost, though. She hurried down the metal staircase outside the apartment, her naturally wavy hair falling into her face.

The dazzling California sun beat off the parking lot. Lisbon did not need to see the forecast to know that the day would prove to be warm. Already, she found herself itching to shed the black suit jacket she wore over her emerald t. The woman opened the door on the rental car and slid in. She actually liked it. But she pushed that thought away. It brought her too close to acknowledging how well Jane actually knew her as he had been the one to pick it out. She'd been indisposed at the time.

Lisbon dropped into the seat, sinking into the leather with satisfaction. She placed her foot

on the brake and her key into the ignition preparing to start it up. The key twisted and the engine came quietly to life. Once the car was in gear, she pulled out of the parking lot.

When the agent reached HQ, the sun had risen only slightly. The sky was still pink and orange and part of it was still the color of steel. She smiled and pulled up to the gate, rolling down the window.

"Morning Henry," She leaned over toward the security guard so that he could see her.

"Agent Lisbon, welcome back!" Henry smiled brightly and leaned forward, placing a hand on the side of the car, "The CBI isn't the same without you."

Lisbon ducked her head at the compliment from the middle-aged security guard, hiding the light tinge of pink that colored her cheeks, "Thanks Henry, but I'm sure you exaggerate." She took a breath and glance behind her. Jane's Citron was parked behind her, "Anyway, I'll see you later Henry."

"And you Agent," The security guard back up and waved her through the gate.

Lisbon pulled forward, allowing for her consultant to catch up with the security guard as well. She parked, and climb out of her little gray sedan, clicking the remote to lock it. The brunette took a deep breath of the warm Sacramento air and slipped across the parking lot under the canopy of the CBI entrance. It did not escape her notice that though Jane driving into the CBI early in the morning was a surprise, even more shocking was that not only was Jane on his way in, but she recognized Rigsby and Van Pelt's cars parked in the lot.

She passed by the front desk, laying her paperwork on the desk and checking in for the day before continuing upstairs. Her contemplations followed her onto the elevator along with a certain blonde consultant.

"Good Morning, Lisbon," Jane greeted far too cheerfully for six thirty in the morning.

"Morning, Jane," She replied evenly, offing him a slight smile despite.

Jane presented her with one of his wide boyish grins and she braced herself for the usual Jane comment, "I must say Lisbon, you're looking very pleasant today."

Teresa looked at him, eyebrows arched. She was forced to step back away ever so slightly to see his expression properly. He grinned at her, his eyes halfway between dark blue and green, twinkling with a childish delight.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" She quipped back at him.

It never occurred to her that this was how she deflected, but she knew how he worked. He would start with these comments, compliments, jibes and questions while they were in the elevator and in the bull pen, places where everyone could hear them, and then when they got to her office, he would become serious and delve into deeper topics, thinking he'd worn her down. Typically, once an individual learned from experience that a person could not be worn down so easily and would try other tactics. Not Jane though, never Jane. He would try the same thing over and over again, stubborn as a mule

"Yes," The former physic replied, his voice falsely affronted, "Why Lisbon, must you always

doubt my sincerity?"

"It's my job to think you're lying," She glanced at him, her irritated voice slightly teasing, "And you really haven't given me a lot of reason to be confident on the matter."

Jane let out a soft tutting noise with his tongue, "How many times must I prove to you that I'm trust worthy."

"At least twice as many as you proven you're not." The brunette agent turned to him, a glimmer in her eye almost to match his own, "And a trust fall isn't going to count."

"Well then I had better get to work this instant." His grinned widened impossibly farther, but it lost its air of innocence, "How about I start with this?"

He stepped in front of the elevator doors as they opened, holding out his hand, "Your coat."

Teresa shrugged her suit jacket off of her shoulders and handed it to him. The consultant took it and folded it over his arm. Together they disembarked the elevator and proceeded on their way to their bull pen. Teresa Lisbon may not have had mentalist abilities nor had she ever made a living as a fake psychic but her years as a cop and CBI agent had taught her how to anticipate danger or situations out of the ordinary. She noticed the difference in atmosphere the minute she climbed off of the elevator. It was too quiet and calm.

Lisbon rounded the last corner of the hallway and stopped. A banner hung above the bullpen door, and there were several balloons on the door as well. She ducked her head flicking her eyes onto Jane. He was grinning like a fool. Her crossed arms afforded her the perfect chance to elbow him and she did. Not hard, but hard enough he could feel it.

She glanced up, not in the least surprised to see a cake and a bottle of what looked to be wine sitting on the table. Cho was still at his desk, a book in front of him, though he was not reading it. Rigsby stood by one of the metal pillars and Van Pelt was under the doorway. Lisbon smiled subconsciously and glanced at Jane.

"See?" Jane commented, pressing a hand to her shoulders and guiding her forward.

"This is what you call proving your trust?" Lisbon retorted.

"Come on, Lisbon, how can you not trust someone who throws you a welcome back party?"

"Mhmm," she hummed at a loss for a better response.

"You're welcome," he spoke quietly into her ear as though she was the only one who should hear it.

Lisbon rolled her eyes, a light blush again tinging her cheeks pink. She didn't need this to happen all the time. Rigsby pushed himself up off the pillar and came to stand beside them.

"Welcome back, boss." He greeted, his usual partial smile plastered on his face.

Lisbon smiled, marginally embarrassed and surprised by her team's connection with her. She'd not realized they'd cared quite so much. She shifted her gaze to the floor again, moving her weight a bit. Her arms instinctively crossed over her chest giving her a chance to draw her confidence back to herself.

"We've missed you these last few days," Van Pelt crossed the distance from the door to her and surprised the senior agent by enveloping her in a hug.

Lisbon stiffed for a moment in shock and then returned the gesture. She could hear Jane chuckling behind her and shot him a glare the minute she was released.

"Thank you, all of you," she paused and looked around at all the decorations, "but you really didn't have to do this."

"Of course we did," Cho spoke up from his seat. His face was still blank and emotionless, as were his words, but Lisbon had worked with him long enough to know how to read the enigmatic asian agent.

"You're the boss," Van Pelt stated, looking between herself, Rigsby and Cho.

"The team is never the same without you," Rigsby looked highly embarrassed that he had been the one to utter these words.

She smiled in spite of herself, her blush reddening a bit, but she brushed off the emotion her colleagues were showing at the moment, absorbing it into herself and into her memory. Instead of a response, she crossed to the table and sat down. The cardboard box in front of her appeared untouched. Lisbon glanced at each of her team members, eyes coming to rest last on Jane. He was grinning, maybe at her obvious discomfort with the situation or possibly because he was reading her again. He settled on the arm of his couch, legs and arms crossed in anticipation.

The senior agent's eyes lingered on him warily for a moment and then she dropped them to the bow again, carefully lifting the lid of the box. There were no surprises inside, just a white-iced cake with "welcome back" written in a bright lime green across the top and a pair of misshapen pineapples on the left hand side. She shook her head.

"Why are there always pineapples on everything?" Grace Van Pelt gazed over her shoulder and commented on the cake.

Lisbon laughed and let the lid of the bow fall onto the table, "Alright, we'll all have a piece of cake and then I want all of you back to work on the case. The DA's riding our asses on this. He's not going to like it if we're not giving the case our full attention."

"Oh come on Lisbon, relax," Jane reached out and handed her a knife from the other side of the table, "It's your first day back after nearly getting blown up. Don't you want to stop and smell the roses?"

Teresa cut a piece out of the cake, "What I want is to catch the person who kidnapped the daughter of the mayor of Sacremento, and filleted his niece before anyone else gets killed." She put the cake on a plate and handed it to Rigsby.

She caught a glimpse of his expression. The largest agent on the team appeared to be somewhere between amused and relieved. He cast a furtive glance at Cho and Van Pelt before realizing she was watching. Lisbon gave him a questioning look to which the man replied by uncomfortably clearing his throat. Another piece of cake was cut. She handed it to Cho and then another to Van Pelt and another to Jane before she finally cut one for herself.

The five people of the serious crimes unit sat at the synthetic wood table in relative silence. Lisbon focused on her cake, blocking out the noises of the rest of HQ. She carefully ate each small piece of cake, her mind running over the many events of the past four days. The agent lowered her plate toward her lap, chewing on her lip in thought. Jen wanted the twins. Maria wouldn't want to give them up. Of course she'd not wanted to give up her daughters either and yet she had. She shook her head just slightly, tucking the thoughts away. Her ability to compartmentalize was perhaps legendary. The brunette took a deep breath and stood, dropping the small plate in the garbage can as she passed it. Their bulletin board sat at the head of the room displaying the rather short list of suspects.

The husband, Peter Peterson. She liked him for it. There was something he was hiding. Lisbon hoped Jane had gone along when they'd interviewed him. As much as she disagreed with his methods, he got the results she needed and he was almost always right.

"Van Pelt, have you found anything new on Peterson's financials?" She turned around and glanced at the ginger agent.

Van Pelt shook her head, "Nothing boss. And you know it's weird. He and Victoria have a lot of money but I can't figure out where its coming from. Every account they have, every check they've balanced, everything checks out. There's no unaccounted for income but they shouldn't have the financial support that they do."

Lisbon nodded and looked over the list of transactions that had been made with the bank. Her sage colored eyes flashed as she began to pick up on a repeating phenomenon in the list before her.

"Van Pelt, I want you to figure out how much the two would be making collectively and then find the amount that is unaccounted for. Go back two years. Then I want you to find out how much money was deposited in small amounts and in cash. Let me know when you're done. Rigsby, see if SFPD has an in with the McKinnet family. If they do, I want you to tell them that you want their officer to pump the members for information. Cho, can you brief me on the events of the case since I left?" Lisbon directed each person definitively, confident in her distraction from herself.

She turned to look at the members of the serious crimes unit. Rigsby and Van Pelt looked at each other and then at Cho. Jane held a plate in one hand and still had his arms crossed. The blonde man bore an expression somewhere between and amuse smile and a smirk, which for him, often meant the same thing. The agent drew herself up a bit taller, as tall as her five foot three frame could go and then stared at them all eyebrows raised.

"What?" She snapped. Despite herself, she felt uncomfortable under their collective gaze. Each person peered at her expectantly, but she wasn't sure what to say to them. Her own perceptive abilities had her convinced that they would ask about her daughters but she was certain it was not on her list of things to do to talk about it.

Rigsby swallowed hard and Cho glanced at Jane. Teresa knew the consultant had no need to ask, she'd already bared her soul to him on the matter. She was glad he was not pressing the matter but was marginally surprised when it was he who spoke up next.

"Perhaps you should go about your tasks," He leaned down to Van Pelt and said in a loud whisper that could easily be heard by anyone walking by, "She's a bit grouchy today. I know if I were you I wouldn't want to raise her ire."

His eyes were focused on Van Pelt's shoulder rather than herself, and aspect of his action that didn't escape Lisbon's notice. Though his voice was light and airy, not to mention slightly conspiratorial, he was not watching for a reaction. The consultant was sincerely helping her avoid the team's questions. The senior age blinked her sage colored eyes in astonishment and then took a deep breath.

Van Pelt jumped at the sound of Jane's voice and she turned to the consultant with an annoyed expression on her face. Cho stood and moved toward Lisbon. Rigsby looked around and then got up from the table, moving back to his desk. The senior agent turned and made her way to her office. She settled herself into her chair, spinning it so she was facing the table and couch. Jane, to her dismay, flopped onto the couch, resting his arm over the back of it and directing his attention to her and then to Cho as though he was watching a tennis match.

Cho turned one of the chair's backwards and sat on it. A small smile quirked Lisbon's lips upward. She couldn't help but take notice that more often than not, if there was a chair involved, the composed, asian agent would make certain to sit in it backwards.

"Go, where are we on McKinnet?" She asked.

"So far Rigsby is using some of his dad's connections to find out more about the Irish mob that runs half of San Francisco, but that takes time. McKinnet doesn't alibi out; his only defence is that he was at a "banquet" that involved drugs. No one that was there will talk to us or confirm his where abouts. He could have easily slipped out." Cho shifted in his seat, "but we don't have anything to incriminate him so having a weak alibi won't put him away."

"And the night Maddy was kidnapped?"

"In Reno playing poker with a few of his buddies," Cho answered.

"Damn," Lisbon swore but looked up, "That still doesn't mean that he isn't behind it. He probably had one of his cronies commit the murder and the kidnapping."

"I'll get right on it, Boss." Cho went to stand but the senior agent held up her hand.

"Just wait a moment. Where are we on Peterson?" Lisbon dug her elbows into the arms of her office chair.

"There's not much to tell about him really. He has alibi's for both crimes and they're fairly airtight. He has no motive either."

"No cheating on either part?" she asked.

"None, their friends don't even remember the last time they had an argument," Cho answered, still deadpan but with a bit of cocky in his words, "Everyone we've spoken with says they were the perfect couple. He has no notable charges on his record. A few traffic violations but other than that he has no rap sheet."

"A couple can appear perfect and be falling apart," Lisbon commented dryly, "Have you interviewed Peterson."

"Yes, in my opinion, he didn't do it but you'll have to ask Jane what he thought of him." Cho nodded at the blonde man now feigning sleep on her couch.

Lisbon nodded, "Alright; have the local LEO keep an eye on him. Jane and I will go and see what we can find in San Francisco."

Cho nodded again and got up out of his chair, leaving through her office door. She watched him sit down in the bull pen and then turned to her consultant.

"Jane?" she snapped at the 'sleeping' man.

"Lisbon?" Jane snapped back in the same tone.

Lisbon shot him a glare and then spun her chair to address him directly. Jane placed his hands over his chest, his eyes gazing upward at the ceiling as though he was on a therapist's couch. The senior agent rolled her green eyes and settled back in her chair a bit, sitting poker straight. Her elbows, again, rested on the arms of the chair and her fingers were pressed together in front of her, forming an arch from one side to the other.

"Well?"

"Well, what?" Jane replied.

"You know what!" Teresa growled at him.

"No I don't, my fair lady," Jane sat up on his couch and stretched.

"Jane, just tell me what you thought of Peterson," The brunette narrowed her eyes at her consultant.

"Mmmm," Jane cocked his head to the side and squinted at the clock, "No." he stood up from the couch.

Lisbon raised her eyebrows, "No?" her voice was just a bit louder than before and the aggravation that ran through it was more than evident. She'd been operating on a high temper the last few days and it was coming dangerously close to breaking.

"I have an idea" The man stood and brushed off his suit, before pulling the office door open and departing.

a/n- I have renamed any chapters that pertain specifically to a case so anyone, such as myself, can go back and look up a particular case. This story will be containing multiple cases and each case will be named as though it is an episode in the show. If anyone would like to read just the case part and not the family part, they can this way. The next chapter is case related as well.

I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and this story so far. Reviews are always appreciated.

Wotcher,

Tabitha


	9. What a Piece of Work is a Man

Chapter 9

What Piece of Work is a Man

Lisbon's mouth was halfway open and her eyes blazing. She stood still for a moment and then hurried at a quick walk after him. She was surprised to see that he was already almost to the elevator. The brunette grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"No, Jane, no ideas, no plans," her voice was calm but filled with patient warning, "I want to know what you think of him and I want you to tell me."

"Don't take the fun out of this Lisbon,"

"This is a murder investigation. It isn't supposed to be fun. We're supposed to be following the law and making sure nobody else gets hurt." She licked her lips, "This isn't a game."

"What if I told you I could tell you exactly where all of Mr. Peterson's money is coming from." He asked.

Lisbon paused, staring at him, her fingers curled into fists, "Then I would very much like you to tell me."

"Oh now, dear Lisbon, that would be too easy." He was using a patronizing tone and she was using all of her will power not to hit him, "Besides I have to give you some time to figure it out yourself."

The blond consultant pressed the down button on the elevator and stepped inside. Lisbon looked around, fuming internally and then stepped in after him.

"Jane, no guessing games. You're going to tell me right now," The agent growled her order.

"This is futile Lisbon, you know that." He smiled at her rocking on his heals impatiently as the elevator descended to the parking level, "Come on; we have work to do."

"Yes, we do have work to do," She cut in front of him again and place a hand on the center of his chest, "We have work to do that every single high profile person in the whole damn state is watching. The Governor called Hightower this morning to let her know that he was taking a personal interest in this case. Bertram, checked in this morning and I've been fielding calls from the SFPD since this morning."

"Isn't there always someone who is checking in on us from a high place Lisbon," he fixed her with a pointed, blue-gazed look and then flicked his eyes from hers to the cross she wore around her neck.

Defensively, she slapped a hand over it and glared back at him. She realized too late that this was the reaction he'd wanted. With her emotionally disarmed, he slipped past her and swung the door of his Citron open. She stood in one spot for several moments, mouth partially open and then jumped as the car roared to life. With it, came a resurgence of anger. Teresa hurried toward the passenger seat door and wrenched it open. Vehemently, the petite brunette dropped into the seat and slammed the door behind her. Lisbon shot her consultant a furious glare and opened her mouth to speak. He cut her off.

"Decided to join me in my plan have you?" Jane's smile made her anger boil as she felt her hurt, fury slipping away.

"It's my job," She snapped, jabbing the seatbelt into the clicker and then turning away from him, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Liar." The consultant accused.

"I'm not lying! It is my job." Lisbon looked back over at him with widened green eyes, "It's my job to stop you from making and even bigger shit pile for me to clean up in the end."

"No matter how much you swear at me, Lisbon, you can't hide that little part of you that likes my tricks."

The agent still couldn't figure out how his expression could be infuriating even when seen from the side. Or perhaps it was the fact that she knew what expression he wore on his face anyway.

"No I don't." she could hear her voice squeak slightly as she lied.

"Lisbon we've been through this before. You just don't lie well," He took his eyes off the road and glanced at her.

She opened her mouth to protest, "I'm not lying." Again, her voice rose slightly and she cursed herself for her inability to hide even the simplest of things.

"Now there's no reason for you to feel so offended. Being a bad liar means you're and honest person. It's a good thing, my dear, and I admire it."

Lisbon's eyes opened a bit and she quickly ducked her head to gaze back out the window. He would know anyway, but it helped her in her mind to think that because he couldn't see the pink of her cheeks, he wouldn't know she was blushing.

"Don't call me 'Dear'. It gives people the wrong impression," she retorted lamely and then they dissolved into silence.

The California sun was high in the sky by the time they reached San Francisco. Lisbon was slightly weary of Jane's car, wondering if the 1970's model Citron would have the ability to handle all of the hills that this city had to offer. For Teresa, seeing the many buildings and then sparkling bay below had the effect that one might describe as akin to coming home after a very long vacation. She felt herself smiling, and a sense of warmth settled in her stomach. How she'd truly missed this city.

"Look," Jane pointed across her at a small store front and then managed to instantly find a parking space along the side of the street. The agent could never understand how he managed to do it but somehow, when Patrick Jane wanted to park somewhere, there was always a parking space available.

Lisbon let out a soft sigh and glanced out the window. They were parked by a small street café with a large poster boasting that the coffee had been voted the best in the entire city. She looked at Jane and raised an eyebrow. The blonde man grinned back at her and pushed the door if his car open. The brunette sat still for a moment, but the smells of the small corner coffee house wafted through her rolled down window, making her stomach growl. It occurred to her, that she'd not really even eaten breakfast. With a sigh, Teresa undid her seatbelt and pushed her own door open.

Jane's smile broadened as he leaned nonchalantly against the parking meter. She rolled her eyes at him and crossed the sidewalk, pulling open the café door with a soft tug. It was air-conditioned and the sign on the window read, Blue Bottle Café. The walls were carefully tiled in a soft tone of aqua interspersed with beach-like stucco. The agent glanced at the counter, where a neatly put together woman was at the cash register on the counter, fussing with the change drawer. Lisbon suspected it wasn't working properly.

Teresa glanced over her shoulder at Jane to make sure he had not yet gotten up to the kind of antics that would get them kicked out. He was still smiling broadly, as though he couldn't wipe the expression off his face and she raised an eyebrow at him again.

"So untrusting, aren't you Lisbon. Honestly, we're just here to get some coffee and talk." He gestured with his hand toward the counter.

Lisbon turned away, a smile spreading across her own face. It was impossible to look at his grin when she was already in a good mood, and not smile herself. She made her way to the counter and glanced up at the menu on the wall and then at the display case of cakes below.

"A strawberry Danish and a cup of your strongest coffee, please," she waited patiently, her hands in her pockets.

The woman behind the counter nodded her head, grabbed a piece of wax paper and lifted the Danish from the case below the counter. Then she straightened and set it on a plate along with a fork.

"Are you with her?" The waitress addressed Jane and Lisbon jumped, opening her mouth to answer for him.

"Sure, why not?" He pulled out his wallet and surveyed the display case, "A cup of earl grey tea, and a piece of that delicious looking coffee cake." He paused and studied the woman before them, "Just a small amount of milk in the cup and make sure the water is truly boiling."

The woman behind the counter gave him a weary look and then turned to the coffee maker. Jane turned and smiled at Lisbon. She looked momentarily taken aback and then pushed his wallet away.

"I can pay for my own food." She told him.

"Oh put away your pride, Lisbon," he grinned, stepping in front of her as the woman returned with their orders, "Besides, I did drag you in here."

Lisbon let out an exasperated sigh and then picked up the Danish plate from the counter as well as the steaming mug of coffee. Jane, ready with his wallet, paid the woman instantly, giving her a winning smile. The agent tried not to laugh as the tight knit cashier gave him an un-amused smile grimace in return.

Jane took a sip of his tea and grimaced, "You're certain this is earl grey?"

It was her turned to intervene now and she did so with as much dignity as she could muster, "Thank you for your time, ma'am,"

"Have a nice day," the woman appeared to be quiet pleased that Jane would no longer be harassing her.

Lisbon smiled half-heartedly and then hustled Jane toward one of the two person tables by the shop windows. They sat down opposite one another and each took a sip of their beverages before speaking again. The senior agent closed her eyes. The coffee was probably as wonderful as it had been advertised and for once she didn't feel irritated that she'd decided to test out an advertisement.

"That good?" Jane broke her moment of heaven into pieces.

"It is pretty good actually," she set the cup down on the composite surface of the table.

"Well at least someone is enjoying their cup." He muttered, glancing down at his 'less than satisfactory' tea.

Lisbon shook her head, "Not everyone makes a perfect cup of tea." She stated, "It can't be that bad."

"Here you try it then," The blonde man childishly proffered the cup to her, "Really."

"I'll take your word for it Jane," she brushed a lock of wavy hair out of her eyes and gazed out the window.

"Oh come on Lisbon. I feel it is imperative that you understand my dire need for…"

"Oh for God's sake Jane," She seized the mosaic, beach-glass mug and took a sip. The agent grimaced. Perhaps the café made coffee close to perfection, but brilliant tea makers, this place was not. Her hand came to rest over her lips as she forced herself to swallow the scalding mud-like liquid.

Jane was staring at her seriously.

"There's more milk and water in that than there is tea," She coughed and handed the cup back to him.

"I know. I'd prefer Rigsby's tea," Jane pushed it toward the side of the table and lifted his fork into his hand.

Lisbon took another sip of her coffee and sighed as its strong aroma and poignant taste washed away her sensory memory of the terrible tea. She sighed again and set the coffee down, refocusing her attention on the rarity that was the large strawberry Danish sitting before her on a white plate with a blue rim. She took her fork and cut out a small piece of the pastry, popping it into her mouth. The agent closed her eyes again, uncharacteristically enjoying her food. It had been a very long time since she'd actually taken her time to eat anything slowly and an even longer time since she'd had anything more than toast or pancakes.

"So how has your apartment faired since I last visited?" Jane nonchalantly queried.

Teresa's eyes flew open at the question and she found herself instantaneously red. It had escaped her, after everything that had followed, and now she wasn't sure how to handle the memory. The brunette recovered her faculties quickly though and replied with a snippy comment.

"It still smells like smoke if that's what you mean," she gave him a momentary deadpan expression and then returned her attention.

"We can pick up some Febreeze on the way back to Sacremento," Jane returned, "Actually, I meant dealing with two teenage daughters."

Lisbon was surprised by his sudden change of topic and tone. His voice was now serious, caring, not teasing and she was certain, though she didn't know why, that he actually meant what he said. Lisbon's eyes ghosted nervously over him for a moment and she licked her lips.

"It's been alright." She commented quietly.

"But something is troubling you,"

Jane leaned forward toward her a bit, lifting a piece of coffee cake to his mouth. He bore his considerate pinched brow expression, his mouth a pursed line across his face, missing the joy that had been there so recently. Lisbon shifted under his scrutiny and then turned her face toward the window to make it more difficult for him to read her. It was easy enough for her to understand that he could read her eyes. All he had to do was look at her and he knew what was bothering her.

"I really don't want to…" She began.

"Is Maria alright?" His voice was still concerned and curious but the tone of caution was also there, working to further destabilize the well trained agent.

Teresa glanced back at him for a fraction of a second and then returned her concentration to her Danish. She carefully cut a piece out with the side of her fork and then ate it, chewing slowly before she answered him.

"She's fine; the OB says she's perfectly healthy and her pregnancy is relatively normal," The brunette still did not look at her consultant.

The stress of the past few days had been enough especially because Maria had refused to give up even one of her babies. There had been a momentary air of relief when Jen had said she gladly adopt them but Maria's insubordination and utter refusal had forced her to consider far more about the situation than she wanted. Lisbon could feel the pressure behind her eyes but she looked determinedly at the table top, attempting to dry the tear that could fall at any moment. She was not weak nor was she about to give up her dignity and lose it in front of Jane.

"but…" Jane interjected. The consultant was pushing out of worry and curiosity now. Internally he knew he shouldn't press the matter any further but he never listened to his reservations and just pressed on with his compulsions.

"Jane I really don't think I…"

"Lisbon please," he sounded desperate now and Teresa did look up from her food.

Her eyes must still have been slightly wet. She watched her companion's face change from anxiousness to shock in a matter of seconds. She felt and saw him reach across the table and grab her hand as he had done a few days previously. Again the senior agent felt the urge to pull away and yet it felt so profoundly comforting that she couldn't bring herself to.

"I just want to help," Jane smiled at her softly, his eyes serious and kind, caring and almost…

Lisbon discounted the notion at once and blinked a few times. She took a deep breath, steadying her voice before she tried to speak. Perhaps she could trust him with this. Maybe he was right to be concerned for her and maybe it was alright for her to talk to someone that wasn't directly related to her.

"But Maria's pregnant with twins," She explained, sage colored eyes flickering away from his again. Teresa used her free hand to lift her coffee mug from the table and took a mouthful from the cup.

"Oh…" Jane placed his tea cup on the table and covered her small hand with this now free one so that two of his large hands held on to hers.

Lisbon glanced at him for a moment, her eyes flicking to his hands and then back up to his face again. She shoved her thoughts from her mind. He'd done this with several suspects too. It was simply what he did when he was listening deeply to people. There was no reason to feel concerned about it.

"Yes," The agent gazed out the window, her eyes absorbing the many cars that drove up and down outside the café on a street called Mint, "I barely make enough money to support myself and two teenage daughters, but twins? I can't do that alone. Maria will have to start working and I don't want that for her. I want her to have the chance I managed to get for myself."

Jane's fingers grasped the stubborn strand of hair that seemed determined to fall in her eyes and pushed it back behind her ear. Lisbon looked at him with widened sage eyes. Her heart stopped in fear of his gesture, but she saw nothing more than an innocent understanding in his dark, sea-green eyes and relaxed.

"You had to give up your daughters for that chance. What if she doesn't want to do that?" Jane contradicted.

The agent licked her lips and looked away, "She told me that there was no way she would ever give up even one of her children." She sighed her face knotted with tension and nervous worry, "but it's not just money, Jane. I only have room for two people in my apartment really. Three, if I sleep on the couch. There isn't much room with the three of us let alone five! I just cannot figure out what I'm going to do."

Jane's next sentence surprised her even more, "I have a large apartment only a few blocks from the office that you could move into. Obviously, I never use it. For the most part, anyway. If money is an issue I can rent it to you for a lower rate." He let her hand go and sat back in his chair.

Lisbon stared at her consultant unsure what to say. Her mouth seemed incapable of forming words though clearly she knew she needed to. She watched him observing her and then sat up a bit straighter, regaining a bit of her repoir.

"I couldn't…" she trailed off as Jane grinned.

"You can and you will!" he stood and pulled his suit jacket off of the back of his chair, "I'll draw up the lease agreement with my lawyer."

Teresa was speechless for the second time in the past minute. She opened her mouth to argue but could think of nothing to say and closed it again. It was a good plan she supposed and perhaps it was good he wanted to help her so much. Regardless, she did need space and soon. Her eyes followed him in stunned silence as he took their plates up to the counter and left a tip under one of the glasses. He returned to the table a moment later and handed her a Starbucks style travel container as well as a napkin for her unfinished Danish.

Lisbon followed him silently out the door and into the bright sunlight street. She nodded to the man sitting outside the café reading a newspaper and then climbed into the Citron. It took her a few moments to realize that she could not buckle her seatbelt with the coffee and the Danish in her hands.

"Jane" she called her consultant to attention as he started the car and made to shift it out of park, "Can you?"

Jane grabbed her coffee carton and held it for her as she fastened her seatbelt.

"Thanks." Teresa remarked reluctantly as she took the coffee back.

"What can I say, Lisbon, you just keep overloading yourself." Jane put the car in drive and pulled swiftly out of the parking space before she could say a word more.


	10. A Red Plaid Couch 4

Chapter 10

Red Plaid Couch 4

Peter Peterson lived in a small townhouse on the Eastern side of San Francisco. Lisbon observed the white siding of the house, which blended well into the building next to it. She pushed her door open and stepped out onto the curb, feeling pleasantly full and much more alive than she had when she'd awoken. The sun was still bright in the sky above and there was not a cloud in sight.

The agent turned to glance at Jane as she heard his car door slam shut. She smiled slightly as he stretched his arms above his head and then shook her own head toward the door. An unmarked car sat outside the building, two young cops sitting inside drinking coffee. They made a move to get out of the car. Lisbon lifted her badge from it place on her side and flashed it at them. They nodded. The brunette turned away and walked up the set of steps to the porch and knocked loudly on the door. She heard talking and turned to see Jane speaking with an elderly woman. They gestured together for a moment and then Jane smiled his charming smile before giving her a farewell. The consultant joined her beside the door moments later.

Lisbon stared at him levelly as he walked up the brick sidewalk and the asked, "What was that about?"

"She dropped her cane and I picked it up for her," he smiled as though it was a great triumph to pick and old ladies cane up from the ground.

"How chivalrous of you," The senior agent of the Serious Crimes Unit commented in a flat tone, "And after you picked up her cane, did you manage to glean any information about Mr. Peterson?"

"No," he replied, somewhat unenthusiastically for Jane, "She did however inform me that, for the last three weeks, a car has been driving up the street at almost exactly the same time every evening."

"Why would she notice something like that?" Lisbon asked as she rang the doorbell automatically.

"Because her last name is Marple," Jane quipped, as they waited for the victim's husband to answer the door.

Teresa raised an eyebrow, "What does her last name have to do with anything?"

Jane gave an askance look at her, "Miss Marple? Agatha Christie? The Body in the Library?" at her lack of recognition he sighed theatrically, "This, dear Teresa, is the perfect testament to what I've been saying all along. You need time off!"

Lisbon rolled her eyes but rose to the bait regardless, "I work no more than I should." She paused, poking him in the chest, "and if I do work overtime without enjoyment, it's your fault!"

"My fault?"

It was her turn to let out a noisy huff, "You manage to piss off any important person within a ten mile radius of you. That forces me to do mountains of paperwork, which makes me not enjoy my job." She shook her head at him, green eyes sparkling with faint aggravation.

Jane, unperturbed by her attitude, pushed on, "You know, I'm pretty decent at forging handwriting, signatures especially. I could help you with all of that work."

Teresa gave an unladylike snort of disbelief, "You, do paperwork? You don't even do the case write-ups you're supposed to. I'm always sticking information into the case folder pretending it's the work _you've _done."

"Oh," Jane exaggerated the 'oh' dramatically, "Lisbon, you didn't have to do that."

"If you wanted to keep your job, yes, I did," she paused, "and besides, forgery is illegal." Another pause interrupted the brunette's argument and then she turned to him angrily, "Hey, is that why I've been getting e-mails to subscribe to some trashy magazine?"

"You'll never know," Jane replied coyly, and then changed the subject, "Isn't this taking a bit long?

Lisbon glanced at his finger, which pointed unobtrusively at the door. It occurred to her that while they'd been bickering on their suspects porch, close to five minutes had passed. She rang the doorbell again with one hand, the other creeping to the holster at her hip where she kept her gun. When no one answered, she glanced around the block to see whether anyone was watching and reached for the doorknob. It clicked with the sound of a lock, stopping short when she tried to turn it. The agent swore and pulled her gun out of the holster.

Teresa Lisbon glanced at her consultant, taking one hand off of the gun and placing it on his shoulder to draw him behind her, ineffectually making herself his shield should the need arise. She was so much smaller than he, she barely protected higher than his abdomen. The agent pushed this thought aside, stepping back from the door a few steps. Her emerald eyes glinted with determination. Jane instinctually backed up with her, keeping himself out of her way. Lisbon drew in a breath and then let it out, launching all of her weight into her shoulder, attempting to break frame for the lock. She was in luck. The door was small enough that she was not forced to body slam the door again. It was old, and she noted, slightly rotten.

The agent winced as she flexed her shoulder, trying to alleviate the pain in the joint. Teresa stepped inside the house, glancing around as the floor creaked slightly. The hardwood was beautiful but old and the carpets that lined the hallway were knotted with use.

"Mr. Peterson," Lisbon called out, "Peter, my name is Agent Teresa Lisbon; I work for the California Bureau of Investigation. We have some more questions to ask you about your wife." She stepped around the corner of the foyer staircase and examined the living room and kitchen. Having mentally cleared the rooms, she checked Jane was still with her and then proceeded up the staircase.

The banister was white and made of a solid wood. It wrapped around the upstairs landing, making the small townhouse appear larger than it actually was. Teresa glanced back at Jane, who stood at the foot of the stairs hesitantly. He appeared to be trying to decide whether or not to join her. Lisbon turned her eyes away, glimpsing an open room to the left of the top of the stairs. The agent felt a twinge as she saw the soft colored walls of what was obviously supposed to have been a nursery. It struck her, that the young couple had been torn away from each other just at the time most couples debated having children. Her heart clenched but she was immediately distracted by the sound of running water.

Lisbon followed the sound and came to a door. No sounds other than the water left the room. She grabbed the handle and twisted it, shouldering the door open. The sight inside was shocking and horrifying at the same time. Peter Peterson was completely submerged in the water, a single hand hung over the side of the bath. Teresa Lisbon froze for a moment, her heart racing, and then she ran to the tub, setting her gun back in its holster. With some difficulty she hauled the water-logged man out of the bath and flopped him onto the floor, loudly.

The agent jumped into action, checking the man's vitals immediately. She grabbed his wrist and checked for a pulse. His heart was still beating but he was not breathing and obviously unconscious. A creek outside the door distracted her momentarily and she glanced up.

"Lisbon are you," Her consultant's voice was cutoff as he spotted the body lying on the floor.

"Jane," Lisbon gasped as she shifted the man's head into the correct position for resuscitation, "Call an ambulance. Let them know we have an attempted suicide." She bent her head taking a great gulp of air before prying the man's mouth open and blowing into it. The agent lifted her eyes, checking to make sure Jane was indeed calling and then blew a second breath into the man's lungs, quickly followed by a third. In the background, Lisbon could hear the consultant explained the situation to the dispatcher. She placed her hands on the man's chest and checked to ensure his heart was still beating. He was still living and her CPR seemed to be keeping him that way. Again, she bent her head and gave him three breaths before letting his body push the air out and then repeated the process over again.

By the time the ambulance arrived, Lisbon's knees ached with what she knew would be bruises the next day and the man was still not breathing on his own nor had he regained consciousness despite her ministrations. The Agent's head spun as she stood from the floor and she was grateful for Jane's helping hand as she attempted to regain her balance.

"Careful, Lisbon," he said quietly, "You should really be working on getting oxygen to your own brain. You know, with that concussion."

Lisbon waited until she was fully upright before she replied with a commented that dripped with sarcasm, "Thanks for the advice, Jane."

Jane just nodded solemnly, "Why, you are completely welcome Lisbon." He paused, "Just thought you needed reminding that your life is every bit as important as everyone else's."

"That's our prime suspect Jane! Without him, this case is as good as cold," Lisbon locked her gaze onto him, gesturing at the paramedics presently loading the almost suicidal man onto a cot and pump air into him, "What should I have done, let him die?"

"I'm just saying that you should look out for yourself as much as you do others." The blonde consultant rocked on his heels as they waited for the paramedics to check over their suspect.

Lisbon gazed at him silently for a moment, lips slightly open in consideration of his words. They sounded sincere and unmocking, something that rarely exited the man's mouth during a verbal sparring match. She gazed up at him, searchingly, examining his face for signs that her assumption about his tone was right. She saw nothing to contradict her conclusion. The agent blinked her eyes at him, for a moment, feeling her features soften and the sage colored irises fade slightly to a grateful pale green.

"Agent Lisbon?" One of the EMTs interrupted the moment.

Teresa hastily cleared her throat and turned her attention to the man in the blue, short-sleeved uniform. She sensed, rather than saw, Jane focus on the man as well.

"Yes?" the petite brunette answered plainly but her reply very obviously commanded a response.

"As Mr. Peterson is a person of interest in your investigation, you may ride along with him in the ambulance." The EMT's reply was hasty and nervous, as though he had not encountered such a situations before.

Lisbon glanced at Jane, and then turned to the EMT, "Thank you."

She replied curtly and hurried down the stairs before the man. Upon reaching the ambulance, Teresa waited for Peterson to load and then accepted the on board paramedic's help getting on the vehicle. She moved to the metal grating seats and flopped down, regaining her balance before she opened her eyes. The back of the ambulance looked too familiar and she was reminded that it was only a few days before that she had ridden to the hospital inside another such vehicle. She sighed and placed her head in her hands, watching the EMTs scurry around, intubating the man she'd just narrowly saved. Lisbon closed her eyes again. This case was not going as she planned.

The ride to the hospital was quick and mostly uneventful. The brunette agent sat back against the wall of the ambulance, feeling every bump of the road swaying the vehicle as they sped toward their destination. As a cop, she no longer noticed the sirens; long ago she'd learned to tune them out, but for some reason, today they seemed impossible to ignore. Each change of decibel was like someone shoving a stake into her head through her ears. She bore a grimace the whole ride.

Lisbon made way for the paramedics to roll the gurney off of the ambulance before she got out and then followed them into the Emergency Room. The doctors that took Peterson from the EMTs spared her little more than a glance as they rushed through the doors of the hospital and down the emergency hall. She flashed her badge as one of the guards made to stop her and he backed away. Her head throbbed as she tried to keep pace with the doctors, running down the hallway as she was trained to do.

Teresa stopped as the doctors rolled her suspect into a room and then abruptly closed the door in her face.

"Hey!" she snapped loudly but her anger fell away as her run caught up with her head.

Pain lanced behind her eyes and she near fell into the closest chair. Catching her breath and her balance, she stood up and pounded a couple times on the door to the small medical room. She grabbed the handle on the door and wrenched it open. She made it part way to the examination table before someone stopped her.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but right now he's in critical condition. I need you to stay outside until we can be certain he's stabilized."

"Like Hell, I'll stay outside," Lisbon snapped trying to quell the throbbing of her head, and her rising ill-temper, "That man is my only suspect and I need to see him alive."

"Ma'am, you can wait outside. He's not even conscious. There's nothing you can do for him right now but let us do our jobs." The young intern bore a patronizing expression as though she were speaking to a small, insistent child.

"Then let me do mine. My suspects are my responsibility. I need to make sure they stay alive so that the justice system can function. Without him, this case will be as good as closed."  
"I understand that, Ma'am, but I really need you to step outside and wait in the chairs. If he

can be saved, we'll do it." The intern reached out toward her as though to guide her through the door.

Lisbon's hand moved instinctively toward her gun and she saw the girl flinch. Nevertheless, Lisbon watched as the other doctors worked frantically to save Peter Peterson's life and conceded the the intern had a point. She might have started him breathing again, but she was no doctor and she probably was just in the way.

With a grim, subdued nod, she stepped back and settled into the uncomfortable plastic chair outside the door. Time passed slowly. She knew, as she watched the clock, that those seconds of "the golden hour" as the doctors sometimes called it, were ticking by as she waited. The agent pulled out her phone and opened it, staring at her inbox. She had four messages and a new voicemail. Lisbon did not like texting; she would much rather call someone, but at the moment, it appeared that she would have to get used to the technology. Of the four unread messages on her phone, three were from her daughters and one from Grace.

She opened the one from Grace first.

_Boss, Rigsby and I think we have a possible lead. Also, that FBI Agent, Booth, called asking about progress._

Lisbon sighed and glanced around, and her mouth stretched in a strained line. She hated joint cases where she couldn't take lead. It made life even more difficult for her and added to her work load. It was one thing to hand-hold a local PD, another to be the one with your hand held. Letting out a growl, the senior agent gave herself a mental reminder to call Special Agent Booth when she got back to the office. She flipped down to the next message.

_Do you have a chess set? _It read. She knew her daughter well enough to know that even without a name in her phone yet, Kailey had sent this message. It was, however, from an hour previously and she presumed that, by now, her youngest daughter would have ascertained that she kept one in the cabinet in the end table.

She fumbled over the buttons on her phone for a moment and then flipped to the next message. They were both from the same number and she was positive that it was Maria who'd sent them.

_Mum, do you have saltines? _The first read followed quickly by_: Never mind, I found a box of Ritz._

Lisbon sighed and glanced at the clock over the nurse's station again. Checking her phone had only taken a few moments and she felt as though she had to move or her head would explode. She bit her lip and looked around for Jane. At least his childish behavior nearly always afforded her some distraction from the anxiety of waiting. Unfortunately for her, he was nowhere to be seen. Actually now that she thought about it, she had not seen him since she'd gotten into the ambulance.

Lisbon glanced down at the phone in her hands and then over her shoulder into the trauma room behind her. The doctors appeared to still be hard at work and she didn't think that that would change anytime soon. Taking a breath, she placed her hands against her knees and waved to get the desk clerk's attention. She pointed at the phone and then the ambulance bay and he gave her a thumbs up.

Placing her palms against her knees, she rose from her seat and flipped open her phone. The beeps and voices of the hospital staff died away as the automatic doors slid closed behind her. She pressed number one on her speed dial and held the phone to her ear. The warm the day was as bright and sunny as it had begun, the same caliber of sunshine lighting the air with brilliant white/yellow just like it had the café earlier. Lisbon listened to the phone ringing on the other end of the line, and almost hung up after the fifth ring. The voice mail had just started when a beep sounded across the line.

"_Lisbon?_" Jane's voice answered questioningly, much to her surprise, _"You surprise me. I usually am away a bit longer than that before you call to check in."_

Lisbon smirked, her satisfaction diminished somewhat by his response, "Breaking and entering a person's home tends to make them trust you less."

The CBI Agent could hear his smile through the telephone line, _"I maintain that it was only entering, my dear. As you recall, nothing was broken."_

Lisbon bit her lip again and then replied, with an unintentional smile, "You burned pancakes in my house."

"_That's simply making your apartment smell, Teresa." _Jane's predictable retort went ignored.

"Where are you? I figured you'd follow the ambulance," She asked, glancing around the ambulance bay.

"_Meh, no point really,_" the consultant replied nonchalantly, "_the more time you spend in hospitals, the less interesting they become anyway."_

Lisbon rolled her eyes, "What do you mean there was no point? Are you suddenly an expert in medicine?"

"_No more than I am a psychic, but if Peterson really wanted to kill himself, he would have done it in a thorough manner."_

"Well he was pretty close to dead when we got there." She snapped, beginning to become annoyed, "Why don't you tell me how you've determined he didn't actually want to kill himself."

"_There are more efficient ways to commit suicide than by drowning yourself. If he had really wanted to die, for instance, he could have hanged himself or slit his own throat. But instead he chose a slow death in a bathtub that was full of warm soapy water. I knew he was going to pull through so what was the point of going to the hospital when I could be doing something else."_

"So he didn't pick a speedy suicide. That doesn't mean he didn't want to die and there's no way you could know he would survive form that." Lisbon frowned and leaned against the wall of the ambulance bay, "Look, I don't really care about your theories or your suspicions right now. I only called to find out where you were."

"_Now where would the fun be in that?" _Jane's voice came over the line, "_I'll talk to you later, Lisbon."_

Lisbon's suspicions were raised the moment she heard that vaguely distant tone in his voice. She stumbled over her words as she attempted to get them out fast enough to beat the closing of his phone, "Jane, what are you doing? Jane!"

There came a distinctive snap from the other end of the line and a buzz filled her ear, "Damn it, Jane!" The senior agent swore loudly. The pair of nurses standing on the other side of the bay smoking glanced up at her in surprise and she looked down, embarrassed.


	11. A Red Plaid Couch 5

a/n- Yes, yes I know, I vanished again. Isn't it funny how I keep doing that? I'mnot going to spend a long time apologizing for it though. Just going to say, I'm sorry and I'll try to do better.

Anyway, how about that Season 4 Finale. It kills me, because with that much Jane/Lisbon in cannon for that one episode, we're not likely to get much more until halfway through the next season.

Without further ado, the base plot still belongs to Heller, California is still awesome and this is the next chapter.

Chapter 11

A Red Plaid Couch 5

Agent Lisbon?"

Lisbon looked up from the ground quickly, startled, "Yes?" she asked to the anxious woman standing by the double doors.

"Mr. Peterson is awake."

Lisbon hurried toward the young woman, probably a PA, who stood just outside the doors.

"Will I be able to speak to him?" She queried professionally.

The PA hesitated until the agent shot her a pointed look, "Its hard to say at this moment. He's breathing on his own and responsive to light across his pupils as well as movement, but it's impossible to tell how much damage was caused to his brain by the oxygen deprivation." The woman turned to her, "He was very lucky you found him when you did. A few more minutes and he would have no chance of a meaningful recovery."

Lisbon gave a vague smile to the PA and then nodded as they reached the trauma room door, "Thank you, ma'am." She paused looking into the room at the man in the bed, "Do you think it would be alright to try to talk to him?"

"I wouldn't have come to get you if he wasn't capable of at least listening."

He seemed very small and unassuming. Several IV tubes were hooked into his arm but he was no longer on oxygen and it appeared her was more than alert to his surroundings. He turned his head to face her and blinked a few times.

"Cops," he murmured.

"Mr. Peterson?" she began carefully, slipping toward him with caution, "My name is Teresa Lisbon. I'm a senior agent in charge of the serious crimes division. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions."

Mr. Peterson turned his head to look at her. His expression was open and riddled with anguish, "I forgot. In that brilliant moment when I woke up, I forgot she was dead. Have you ever felt such a thing Agent? To have everything you could ever need and then to have it ripped from underneath you."

Lisbon paused for a moment and then responded, "Actually, I have."

The senior agent settled into a comfortable standing position next to the suspect's hospital bed. She observed him for a moment as his shifted around underneath the blanket.

"You tried to kill yourself Mr. Peterson. Was it out of guilt or grief?"

Teresa watched his face shift and his eyes wander over her. He seemed to be sizing her up, as though she was a great opponent. She crossed an arm over her chest waiting.

"Both," he added after a long spell of silence, "I didn't kill her, if that's what you're asking, but I did some things while I knew her that I'm not particularly proud of. Things that I never told her about." Peterson paused and looked slowly around the room before back at her, "That's all the more I'll say without a guarantee of protection."

"I thought you wanted to be dead, Mr. Peterson," Lisbon was shocked that the words had even left her mouth. They were far too Jane-like for her comfort and she knew the statement would be a wounding one.

Mr. Peterson too, looked taken aback at her statement and she saw his eyes flash with anger for a moment only to have it fade away into defeat, "No, not really. I took a bath to wash away my troubles. But the room was too silent and I wondered what would happen if I just let myself go. I was just so sad and empty. I thought maybe if I died…" he trailed off.

Lisbon straightened, "The doctors don't think you'll need more than a night of observation, Mr. Peterson. There will be CBI Agent or Policeman outside stationed outside your room at all times until you are released. You have protection, Sir, but I need to know where you were on the 25th of August."

Peter Peterson turned his head toward her and narrowed his eyes, "Do you really believe I killed my wife?"

"I believe that I have to question everyone connected with our victim. That includes you. My personal opinion on the issue doesn't matter." Lisbon crossed her arms, "But if I had to offer my opinion, I would say you're either an extremely good liar or you didn't kill her. All the same, I need an alibi."

The man in the hospital bed sat up a bit taller and nodded, "Thank you for your candor. August 25th wasn't any different from any other day. I was at work, trying to sell people soap for an exorbitant price."

The CBI Agent almost smiled at him but stopped herself, "I still have more questions Mr. Peterson, but we'll check on your alibi overnight and if it checks out, we'll see if we can't get you transferred to somewhere safer than your home." She fixed the man with a stern, no nonsense gaze, "I expect you to tell us everything, Mr. Peterson."

"You don't have to worry about that, Agent. If I think it will help you find my wife's murderer, you'll know about it."

The widower sank deeply into the sheets of the ER bed and closed his eyes. He appeared already asleep, though she'd been trained to be skeptical of such quick actions after so many years of working with Jane. All the same, she turned on her heal after a few moments and left.

Once outside in the main ER floor, she turned to the nurse's station and nodded. Then she hurried to the doors and stepped outside into the warm San Francisco air. It was a few moment before she realized she was stuck at the hospital. Jane had her rental car. With a huff of irritation, she settled herself onto a bench and then pulled out her phone. The Agent pressed redial and waited patiently for a couple of moments.

"_Lisbon, I take it you are done interviewing the husband," _Jane's voice answered the phone cheerfully, far too cheerfully in her opinion.

"Yes,"

"_Then I suppose you would like me to come to the hospital and pick you up," _He inferred from her tone probably more that she did from his but she knew him well enough to know that he sounded triumphant.

"Well yes, that would be preferable to sitting out here in the ambulance bay, Jane," Lisbon picked up the sound of tiny sixties music in the background. The Beach Boys, she thought. "Where are you?"

"_Oh, here and there. Nowhere important at the moment." _

Teresa sat up a bit straighter at these words, a frown creasing the skin of her forehead. She knew his tone of voice well. His phrasing set her on high alert.

"Jane…"

"_Relax Lisbon, I'm on my way to pick you up as we speak." _Lisbon heard a car door slam on the other end of the line, "_Did Peterson say anything interesting?" _

"Not really. He did say he had some things to that he felt guilty about, but he won't talk about them without guaranteed protection." She replied as she glanced over at a group of the hospital staff smoking. She crossed one of her arms across her chest.

"_Was I right about him?"_

Lisbon groaned to herself, "Yes Jane. He did not plan to kill himself. It was a plan that he came up with in a moment of depression. He doesn't have a death wish."

"_That much is obvious,"_ Jane gloated quietly, _"And you still doubt me."_

"I will maintain, Jane, that it is my job to be skeptical of your hunches," she replied haughtily.

The agent rose from the composite plastic bench and moved out to the end of the ambulance bay. She could see the city from hear. And unconscious sigh drifted past her lips as the sun hit her. She could see the bay below. Relaxing, the agent leaned against the building and watched some boats passing through the harbor.

"_Enjoying the city?" _her consultant's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Teresa cursed in her head, "No, just drinking some coffee."

She replied snappishly. Lisbon was not at all fond of Jane's persistent presence inside her head. Even on the phone, the agent couldn't get away from him. The least she could do was try to keep him out with little lies every once in a while.

"_A valiant attempt to stump me, I'm sure, Lisbon." _Jane's voice was filled with laughter, _"But given that you are at a hospital, the chance that you are enjoying a good cup of coffee are very slim. It's far more likely that you're standing in the ambulance bay. You do hate both hospitals and staying inside after all."_

"Isn't it easier to tell me that I'm lying and move on?" Lisbon answered him.

"_But where would the fun be in that?" _Jane's reply was so predictable she almost heard it before he even spoke it, _"I'll see you in a moment, Lisbon. I'm just turning the corner."_

Lisbon rolled her eyes and snapped her phone shut. Crossing her arms, she walked up the street a ways and stopped by telephone pole, waiting for Jane to bring her understated rental car around. It wasn't long before her consultant pulled up by the curb and leaned across to push the passenger door open.

"Get in," he demanded with a wide grin.

The Senior Agent scoffed and stared at him, "No. It's my car."

"Come on Lisbon, it will take twice as long to go anywhere if we have to switch sides. Just hop in." Jane argued pointedly.

Teresa conceded his point and realized that she was actually the one being childish. All the same, it made her skin crawl to let someone else drive her. With a huff, she dropped into the car, pulling the door shut behind her.

"Thank you, Teresa, that saves me having to give you directions," Jane put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb far faster than was necessary in her opinion.

Lisbon grasped hold of the handle on the door, "Directions to where?"

Jane chuckled secretively, "You'll see."

As usual, Jane's antics raised his boss' ire. This time however, Lisbon simply fixed him with a dark glare and then settled her elbow against the frame of the window. Her hand slipped behind her head under her hair as she stared with irritation at her consultant. Their drive took them through the financial district. The modern style buildings glittered brightly in the late summer sunlight. After nearly half an hour of driving, while nearing the approach to rush hour, the senior agent had begun to worry that her consultant had decided to simply ignore her occasional pleas for information and drive aimlessly about.

"Seriously?" She stated after another minute passed, "Jane it's been more than enough time to get somewhere. Would you stop playing game and just tell me where we're going."

"Patience, woman; all will be revealed." He stated casting her a sidelong glance and grin, "I just have to find the right warehouse."

Lisbon glanced out the window. They were passing through a street lined with warehouses down near the wharfs. There was always something off about warehouse districts, especially in conjunction with the fishing industry. They were the perfect, clichéd place to hide drug smuggling rings, meth labs, human trafficking parties and basically anything else that was illegal. Shooting a glare at Jane, she pulled out her phone and dialed the Serious Crimes Unit extension. It was no surprise that the answering individual was Van Pelt.

"_Serious Crimes,"_

"Van Pelt, could you get in touch with SFPD and ask them to send a unit to this cell's location?"

"_Sure thing boss,"_ Van Pelt replied, _"anything else?"_

"Not at the moment. What have you gotten so far?" Lisbon answered.

"_Rigsby and Cho have been running down leads to Mckinnet all day. We can't find him anywhere."_ The red-headed agent replied.

"Keep looking. There's always an answer." The team leader reassured and then nodded at a few more words added by the rookie agent, "Clear it with Hightower."

"_Alright, will do boss. We'll see you when you get back," _Van Pelt hung up the phone.

Teresa pressed her hang up button on her phone and settled back into her seat in the car.

"Clear it with Hightower?" Jane piped in just as she had begun to enjoy the drive despite his fast driving.

"Oh relax Jane. No one is running one of you cockamamie plans without you," She answered.

Jane fixed her with a look. Lisbon sighed in irritation and sat up straight in her seat to look at him.

"Van Pelt wanted my permission to hack into one of Mckinnet's businesses and do recon on his records," She answered plainly, "I told her she had to clear it with Hightower."

"I thought hacking was illegal." Jane commented in his usual, I'm-poking-at-loopholes drawl.

Lisbon snorted, "Maybe for you Jane, but the CBI has a government license to do."

"So like James Bond," he commented.

Teresa looked at his open mouthed smiled and laughed slightly, "Except we're licensed to hack."

"Touche," her consultant responded, "But you are licensed to kill."

Lisbon nodded quietly, sobering a bit, "Yes, in the interest of remaining alive, CBI Agents are allowed to kill people." She paused, "It doesn't mean that we are exempt from murder charges." She looked at him pointedly.

Jane nodded, looking back at the road, "You know, I've always wondered. When I killed Hardy, why wasn't I brought up on manslaughter charges."

She looked at him for a moment. This was not something she expected to come up again, six months after it had happened. They'd already discussed the ramifications of his actions and come to terms with why he had done it. She'd even settled her feelings about his having killed to save her. In fact, that was the reason she did not wish to talk about this in the first place.

"There were extenuating circumstances and the Bureau felt that it was best if your actions were considered equal to that of any CBI Agent." She replied in a non-committal manner.

Silence filled the vehicle for a few moments and they turned into a narrow area between the warehouses and stopped. The area was filled with sunlight and yet it felt somehow dark.

"Where are we, Jane?" Lisbon asked as her hand slid to her hip.

"Humor me for just a moment, Lisbon," Jane walked down the row of storage case fronts muttering, "It should be right…ah,ha!" he exclaimed.

Lisbon climbed the rest of the way out of her car and slammed the door behind her. She walked quickly to his side and stared at the storage locker. Her hand still rested close to her gun, the fastener on the holster unsnapped.

"What?" she asked as she stared at the rusty, faded blue door.

Jane pulled out a pin and knelt , inserting it into the bolt at the bottom of the door. Before Lisbon could stop him, the latch on the base of the door snapped open with a click.

"That's illegal!" she stated unnecessarily, more as an outlet for her frustration than an actual statement.

The phrase was as usual, useless as a defense against her consultant's antics. Her hand closed around the handle of her gun. Jane hooked his hands under the bottom of the roll up door and looked up at her.

"Well, are you going to draw it Lisbon or am I going to open this door completely unprotected from whatever might lurk behind it?" he asked cheekily, a grin crossing his features, "You know you want to."

"Shut up,Jane," Lisbon shot him a sarcastic, unamused smile but drew her gun nevertheless. The door slid open with a rattle and then clunked into place at the top of the locker. Inside, there was nothing to warrant her threatening posture or the gun in her hand. She lowered her hands and stood tall again in surprise.

"Furniture?" she blurted before she could stop herself. The senior agent had a knack for making comments that often made her sound a bit slow.

Jane was well into the storage bay already and had set about combing through the stacks of chairs, loveseats and sofas in the room. He stopped every now and then as she watched.

"Bad, plaid furniture," he said as he sat down on couch.

Lisbon followed him, weaving through the furniture silently, a thoughtful expression on her face. She glanced at the contrasting patterns and generally badly matched colors.

"You brought me here for what?" she asked as she knelt next to the couch he had flopped onto.

"That is the question, Lisbon," Jane shifted around on the couch and then lay down on it, "This is a truly terrible couch."

Lisbon sighed roughly and flopped down on the very end of the cushions next to his feet, "Can't you ever just give me a straight answer?"

Jane closed his eyes and smiled, "No."

"Haha, Jane." Teresa smiled nonetheless. It was hard to stay mad at the man for very long when he looked so peaceful and pleased with himself.

"Honestly, though, you might want to keep your gun handy," Jane added, his eyes still firmly closed.

Lisbon looked around herself and rose from the foot of the couch, "Am I going to be taking out the paisley green sofa?"

"Look over by the door. It won't be long before we have company. I think it's exactly what we wanted." The blonde consultant rolled on his side, his back propped against the rear of the couch. His arms were folded against his chest, almost as though he were cold. Lisbon knew better than to ask him about why he slept that way, but she had her own suspicions. She might not be able to 'mentalize' people but she could read her team well enough.

The petite brunette glanced at the door and spotted the lasers that spanned the entrance to the storage locker. Cursing herself for not having noticed, she fixed her hand to her hip again and then shifted on the sofa.

"Jane, I don't see how that is going to fix everything. If people come it will just cause more problems."

"Mmmm, No," shaking his head blankly, he answered, "because according to a friend of mine, William Mckinnet owns this particular unit."

Teresa opened her mouth a few times, partially shocked and irritated by how quickly he'd managed to pull this little plan together and found a person who knew Mckinnet and also by his blatant disregard for forewarning her that they were walking into a self made trap. She settled on the trap part.

"You know, if you keep doing that I'm going to lose any respect I have for you," Jane interrupted her thoughts, "You look like a fish."

The senior agent snapped with that comment, which was what, she completely aware, he wanted.

"How?" she turned to him, her eyes brows draw together and her lips tight. Her consultant's face was filled with childlike innocence as though he did not understand why she was annoyed. Which was completely bull shit in her opinion. If he didn't know why she was mad, she was a monkey.

"How did you manage to do this to me, again?" she began her voice tight with aggravation, "You've walked us right into the middle of an alley is the warehouse district without any backup or aid! It's very likely that we will be meeting members of the Irish mob soon." She paused and drew in a heavy breath, "You broke into this storage locker Jane. You broke into William Mckinnet's storage unit."

"If I jumped away from all the big fish I came across, we'd never get anything done Lisbon," Jane sat up on the couch and grasped her wrist abruptly. "Besides, Lisbon, Mckinnet's men aren't going to kill us. They wouldn't even try."

"You know this how?" the senior agent snapped caustically.

"Two reasons," Her consultant let her go, "The first, we're cops Lisbon; well, you're a cop, but I'm as good as. Second, we have the advantage over them. We know they are coming and they think we don't know. Therefore we're actually several steps ahead of them."

"How does that make any sense?" She growled a second later.

"Mobsters might be bad but their lives are a lot easier if they don't go about killing state agents willy-nilly."

"That doesn't matter, Jane, we'll still be outnumbered,"

"Meh, details," the man waved a hand airily at her and then wandered around the room again.

Lisbon drew in a deep, reaffirming breath and then let it out. There was no point in arguing any further. Her consultant's utter disregard for anything remotely logical about this particular situation did not surprise her. Instead she moved across the room and stopped on the back side of the door hoping that she could get her gun to the head of one of the people that would be coming before they noticed her presence.


	12. A Red Plaid Couch 6

a/n- It hasn't been _nearly _as long this time as it has in the past. I confess, life got in the way again. Its all that pre-college stuff I have to go through. Honestly, I enjoy it, but I swear its going to kill me too. That and I'm dieting...yay! (did you catch the sarcasm?) Anyway, here is my next chapter. I know its been several chapters since I got around to anything remotely emotional, but we'll get there, don't worry. For now, enjoy my brilliant case. (Yes, I am being self aggrandizing.)

Chapter 12

A Red Plaid Couch 6

A thunk echoed from out in the alley and then several more followed it. The thud of a large SUV having its doors shut, she thought. Lisbon shifted and glanced at Jane. He had sat himself in an armchair that sat on top of a coffee table and looked as though he was a king on a throne. She gave him a disapproving look. Ever the showman, she supposed.

She heard the click of a person loading a gun and the crunch of shoes on gravel. Teresa tightened her grasp on her gun, one hand steadying it the other lightly touching the trigger. She could feel the resistance under her finger's pad and an undue amount of reassurance filled her. The agent shifted in her stance and waited for the men to enter the unit.

There were five in total, all stocky and dark-haired, much like herself. They slipped into the storage locker with guns drawn. One stopped by the door and Lisbon swiftly moved forward to press her gun to his temple.

"Drop it," she ordered as his skin flinched under the cold steel of the muzzle of her Glock.

"What the Hell?" the man she'd threatened jumped and lost concentration on his weapon. It slid from his hand as the appendage slackened with surprise.

"Didn't expect that did you?" Jane commented from his perch.

Two guns pointed at him and the other two had turned on Lisbon. She held the trigger of her gun carefully.

"We don't have to have a problem," She declared, "My name is Agent Teresa Lisbon and this is Patrick Jane. We work for the California Bureau of Investigation."

Jane gesture with his hands and smiled lightly, "In short, we're cops."

Both agent and consultant watched the expressions on the men's faces change from malice to frustration. Lisbon wasn't surprised when they didn't lower their guns but she no longer feared that they might shoot them either. She knew these men were as wary of her as she was of them. It probably wasn't the first time someone had told them they were cops. She reached for her badge just inside her jacket and the men reacted by tightening their grips on their guns. One of them fired a shot into the floor next to her foot.

Attempting not to allow her focus to slip she raised her free hand into the air, the other still holding steady, the gun pressed to the temple of the unfortunate man next to the door.

"Be cool," she spoke calmly, "I'm just getting my badge for proof."

The largest of the men gestured pointedly with his gun. Teresa glanced up at Jane. Both his hands and eyebrows were raised over his head. The expression was almost comical. She drew back the side of her jacket and pulled the badge out, holding up it up for the men to see. They all cast it a cursory glance. One of the men stepped up to Jane and brandished his gun. Jane drew fractionally away from the barrel, face set in a line.

"You too." The man demanded.

"Would you point that thing somewhere else?" the consultant requested and despite his calm manner, Lisbon could hear a note of fear in his voice. She knew him and remembered how much he disliked guns. Jane lowered a hand slowly and reached into this vest pocket, producing the little laminate card that served as his identification.

"I thought you said you were cops," The larger of the men commented upon examining the card.

"She is," he pointed with his hand as he replaced his ID card, "I'm just a consultant."

Lisbon took this moment to gain control of the situation, "Look, right now, you five are all facing serious charges for threatening a state agent, but if you could all calmly lower your weapons, I can forget about that."

The largest of the men glowered at her, "You too, Lady."

"Ahuh," Jane's voice piped up in the background in a tone of mock disapproval. Or perhaps it was real this time, "That would be counterproductive. How can we be sure you'll put your weapons down if Lisbon lowers hers?"

The man looked at Jane in apparent confusion. Lisbon felt her stomach sink fractionally.

"I…" the man grunted, "Look, sonny, if you want us to put out guns down, your lady cop here has to put hers down too." He paused and stepped toward Jane, "Or it would be counterproductive."

The petite CBI agent was hardly shocked to see a broad smile blossom on her consultant's features. He always loved it when people decided to play ball with him. The situation could degrade from bad to worse in very short order if Jane started playing mind games with this Irish Mob underling.

"You like to think of yourself as intimidating, don't you?" Jane pointed at the man with his lowered hand.

"Think of myself as intimidating?" the man narrowed his eyes and lowered his gun slightly in a change of focus.

"We-ll" Jane replied, "I mean, you think you appear dangerous and intimidating standing there holding you gun at Agent Lisbon but you're really just a big guy with too much body mass and too few brains. You're not really all that scary."

Lisbon flinched as she watched the gun wheel around to point at Jane's chest. She very narrowly saved herself from letting out the tiny squeak of fear she felt rise. Jane might be a pain in her ass, but he was damn useful and a half-ways decent friend to boot. Both of her consultant's hands were in the air again.

"No offense meant, I'm just saying, if you stepped back and stopped trying to make yourself the most intimidating, you probably would be." Jane's shoulder's shrugged despite his arm position.

The man Jane had been speaking to took a step forward, looked at his gun and then stepped back again, "Are you trying to confuse me?"

Jane grinned and replied quickly and rationally, "No, I'm just trying to make you see the situation from our perspective."

"Look, my consultant tends to be a bit brash. I apologize if he's offended you but you're the ones with the guns pointed at us. You need to put them down now. We just want to talk to your boss."

Lisbon shot a glance at Jane, gesturing to the youngest of the men at whose head she was now pointing her gun. Jane raised his eyebrows and shook his head childishly in returned. Taking his motion as affirmation she carefully re-engaged the safety on her gun and then drew it away from the man's temple. There was a moment where she paused, waiting for the other gun-toting occupants to lower theirs as well. She slipped her gun back into the holster and breathed a sigh of relief as four muzzles withdrew.

"Great! No more guns," Jane commented pulling his hands down and wiping them nervously on his shirt, "Now to our next order of business," he nonchalantly wove his way through the Irish mobsters and stopped next to Teresa's shoulder. She glanced sidelong at him, "Take us to you leader." A broad grin split her consultant's face and she shut her eyes grimacing at her misfortune, "I've always wanted to say that."

"Hey, Rigsby, have you heard from Lisbon or Jane?" Van Pelt asked as she entered the break room.

Rigsby looked up from his coffee and case file and looked at her in surprise, "No, why?

The red-head pulled her veggie Panini out of the refrigerator and removed the lid on the Ziploc container. She popped it into the microwave, setting the time and pressed the start button. The machine let out a small bleep and set to work buzzing. Grace crossed her arms, staring off to the left of her former lover.

"I don't know." She commented, "Jane ditched Lisbon at the hospital." The junior agent shook her head, "I just have a bad feeling."

Rigsby shrugged, "Boss can take care of herself. And honestly, even if Jane did get them into trouble, he'd find a way to get them back out of it."

Grace's troubled expression remained, despite her colleagues reassuring words. Though rational, she just could shake the feeling that something wouldn't go well in San Francisco. The microwave beeped behind her and she retrieved her lunch. Red hair swinging behind her in a long braid, she smiled briefly at Rigsby and then returned to her desk in the office.

Lisbon glared unabashedly at Jane. To his credit, the grin he most often wore when he'd made a breakthrough on a case was not there. Instead he appeared to be brooding in some way and for some reason she could not identify. Her consultant leaned against the dark interior of the moving van style vehicle with a thoughtful, distant look in his eyes. The brunette shook her head and glanced at the Irish hitter who sat in front of her. None had given their names, nor had they really spoken and she wasn't surprised. Surely most, if not all, of their rap sheets were a mile long and riddled with crimes that perhaps even the most hardened criminal would think twice about attempting. This particular man had a scar from his left cheek that ran down the side of his face to the point of his eye and then continued until it vanished under the collar of his shirt. She couldn't have said how much farther it went but by the ribbed and roped appearance of it, she doubted he had ever had medical attention for it.

Anything Lisbon would normally have done when surrounded by suspects was useless in this situation. These five men had been ready to kill them even when they had identified themselves as cops. It was only by Jane's reasoning that they had managed to escape, if it could be called that. At this moment, Lisbon felt more like a captive that a person going to interrogate a suspect of their own free will. But Jane had asked for this, in his infuriating and ever nonchalant manner. She shot another glare in his direction.

"Glaring at me isn't going to make the situation better," Jane muttered. His eyes never left the worn carpet floor of the van.

Lisbon snorted quietly from her spot and bit back a growl.

"But it might make me feel a little bit better," She quipped in return pursing her lips in an expression of utmost weariness.

"Touche," Jane replied and they dissolved into silence again.


End file.
